Hume council will invest a “record” amount in infrastructure for the municipality as well as a rate increase as part of their 2022-23 annual budget.
Adopted by council at its meeting on Monday, June 27, the budget includes investment in libraries, leisure centres, preschools, maternal and child health and aged and disability programs.
Council’s 2022-23 budget includes a total income of $461.80 million and operating expenditure of $356.13 million, generating a surplus of $105.67 million.
More than $558 million will go towards community facilities, roads, footpaths, parks and reserves over the next four years, including $101 million in 2022-23.
Almost $30 million will be injected into a number of projects such as the Merrifield South Community Centre, Kalkallo Central Community Hub, and Seabrook Reserve Community Hub.
Cr Jarrod Bell said the municipality is “recovering from one of the greatest economic and community health challenges of this century.”
“This budget sets us up as a community ready to thrive, ready to bounce back and ready to build the infrastructure and deliver the services that our community needs,” Cr Bell said.
“We are a city that is growing, we are a city that is coming back to life, a city that deserves the services and deserves the infrastructure that this budget will deliver.”
A further $165.65 million will be provided for a variety of day-to-day services over the next 12 months including graffiti removal, waste collection, meal delivery for people in need, street sweeping and more.
A rate increase of 1.75 per cent saw a number of councillors vote against the adoption of the draft budget.
Cr Jim Overend opposed the rate increase but acknowledged council’s reasoning in doing so.
“I won’t be voting in favour of the budget but only because I don’t support a rate increase,” Cr Overend said.
“In saying that, I do understand council is also facing unprecedented challenge with rising costs.”
Cr Trevor Dance raised concerns about the rate rises and increased spending, saying “the community are hurting.”
“The hurt will only grow as the cost of living skyrockets, I really have seen no serious attempts at reducing our costs at all in this budget tonight,” Cr Dance said.
Mayor Carly Moore said the rate rise was a “really good outcome” for the community.
“We do some amazing work at council and I think that a 1.75 per cent rate rise to be able to continue to deliver those amazing things is a good outcome,” Cr Moore said.
