At its meeting on Monday, Council acknowledged feedback from residents impacted by the change to a digital residential parking permit system, and supported amendments to the scheme to make it easier for people to renew their permits and to receive a physical visitor permit if they meet certain eligibility criteria.
CEO Dale Dickson said the Council had responded to community feedback following the initial rollout of the new digital permit system and made some improvements ahead of the annual permit renewal process which is to commence in April.
Council also endorsed Mr Dickson's recommendation to maintain the new permit fee structure, and to maintain the fees at the same level for an additional year.
Mr Dickson also said that Council's residential parking permit fee structure has not been substantively changed since 1995, however in the past 30 years there has been growing pressure on on-street parking with limited availability related to demand, together with range of external impacts on Council's financial position over the past decade in particular, both of which prompted a revision of Stonnington's residential parking permit pricing structure.
Examples of recent external impacts on the Council's finances include the State government's $4 million per year congestion levy imposed, together with a rates cap of 2.75% for 2026/27 when inflation is currently 3.7% and expected to go higher.
Council also confirmed a significant concession for eligible pensioners and Department of Veteran's Affairs Gold Card holders, supporting accessibility for this section of the community.
Council will be soon writing to all current residential permit holders before their permits expire to explain the digital renewal process and new fee structure and provide additional support for those that require it.
The full resolution of Council from the Monday 30 March meeting is as follows:
That Council:
- ACKNOWLEDGE the feedback from the local community and elsewhere relating to the residential permit fee structure and transition to a digital platform, which were introduced effective from 1 January 2026, and NOTE that the decision to transition to a digital system in preference to the historical paper-based model was an administrative decision for which the CEO assumes full responsibility.
- NOTE that the City of Stonington's residential parking permit fee structure has not been substantively changed since 1995, however in the past 30 years there has been growing pressure on on-street parking with limited availability related to demand, together with a range of external impacts on the Council's financial position over the past decade in particular, both of which prompted a revision of Stonnington's residential parking permit pricing structure.
- ACKNOWLEDGE the particular objections to the new fee structure introduced from 1 January 2026, however determine it should remain unchanged in 2026 for the following reasons:
- The fee structure more equitably recovers the costs of establishing and administering the residential permit parking scheme which is of benefit to approximately 27.5% of all residential properties in Stonnington, and which historically was significantly subsidised by all ratepayers.
- Under the tiered fee structure, the first permit is priced at a lower rate to recognise essential vehicle needs, while second and subsequent permits are priced at a higher rate to reflect increasing competition for limited on-street parking, which supports improved demand management.
- The fee structure introduces a significant concession for eligible pensioners and Department of Veteran's Affairs Gold Card holders, supporting accessibility for this cohort of the community.
- The fee structure is comparable to that of other Councils which have had in place various versions of "user pays" permit fee structures for many years - significantly longer than Stonnington.
- As an acknowledged low rating Council in Victoria, with limited revenue options, it is critical that the revenues derived from the scheme are available for allocation to essential residential precinct infrastructure in the city.
- GIVEN the proximity of this decision with the 26/27 draft budget process, determine that there be no increase in the resident parking permit fees for the 2026/27 financial year and that this decision be incorporated in the forthcoming Budget.
- NOTE that since the introduction of the new digital parking permit system on 1 January 2026, and prior to the first tranche of permit renewals, a total of 1,200 permits have been issued. Further, that based on an assessment of the customer feedback and other commentary relating to the digital transition in this initial (pre-renewal) phase, the following changes be endorsed, and take effect prior to the first tranche of renewal letters to be issued in April.
- Permit Renewals
