Roads, community centres and recreation facilities are the big-ticket items in Wyndham council’s 2015-16 draft budget as the council looks to spend $91.2 million on new capital works.
Highlights of the works program include $15.8 million for the second stage of Werribee Sports and Fitness Centre, $2.1 million for a new Tarneit library, $4 million for a community centre at Point Cook’s Saltwater Coast, and $3.6 million for a Galvin Park masterplan.
The draft budget proposes no new borrowings on top of last year’s $55million, which was used to redevelop the Werribee Sports and Fitness Centre and Wyndham Leisure and Events Centre.
To help pay for the proposed capital works program, ratepayers will face an average rates rise of 5.5 per cent.
It’s the sixth year in a row that the council has set its rates at that level or less.
The municipal charge will increase to $55.65 per property, up from $52.75, and the waste management charge will rise by almost $7 to $257.
The council plans to raise $162.86 million in rates and charges in 2015-16.
Cr John Gibbons said the decision to raise rates had not been taken lightly, adding that the budget had been impacted by Wyndham’s rapid population growth and cost shifting from other levels of government.
He said that the council used to receive a subsidy for 80 per cent of its library services but would receive only 16 per cent this
year.
Government funding for crossing supervisors had fallen from 28 per cent to 19 per cent and maternal health funding had dropped from 60 per cent to 47 per cent, he said.
Residents can have their say on the draft budget until May 18.
Copies are available from libraries, the civic centre, community centres and at www.wyndham.vic.gov.au.
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