Council Adopted 2023-24 Budget

Published on 30 June 2023

Mansfield Shire Council adopted the 2023-24 Budget at the Council Meeting held on Tuesday 27 June 2023.

The adoption of the budget followed a comprehensive community consultation process undertaken to enable early community input in January 2023 and further community feedback in May 2023 on the Proposed Budget. Presentations were provided by Councillors at two community forums, including an on-line forum for non-resident ratepayers and all submissions were carefully considered, with some adjustments made to the final Fees and Charges schedule in response to community feedback.

The 2023-24 Budget contains a 3.5 percent rate increase in line with the State Government Rate Cap and provides for a total operating expenditure of $25 million and a capital works program of $15.58 million.

Mayor Cr James Tehan said this is a sound and economically responsible budget that responds to community input.

“With inflation running at 7%, a State Government rate cap of 3.5%, and increased waste charges, the only way to balance this budget was through significant cost savings and/or increased revenue,” said Cr Tehan.

“The budget included a thorough process that identified up front cost savings of approximately $500,000 and increased investment revenue of $250,000, which has made balancing this budget possible and inclusion of many initiatives in response to the community feedback.”

Key infrastructure features of the 2023-24 Budget include:

Upgrades to Highton Lane and sealing of Rifle Butts Road – IMPACT Route Year 1 works.
Mansfield Station Precinct – new Heritage Museum Building Stage 1 construction and Pump Track design.
Mt Buller Service Road upgrade and improved car parking.
Heavy Vehicle Alternate Route (HVAR) Stage 2 completion (completion of upgrades to Greenvale Lane, Mt Battery Road and Dead Horse Lane).
Lords Reserve Pavilion (over two financial years) and Lords Oval drainage (subject to grant funding applications).
Lords Reserve Public Toilet upgrade.
Bonnie Doon Recreation Reserve and Community Hall.
Merton Recreation Reserve - Public Toilet facilities renewal.
Pedestrian safety improvements - Monkey Gully Road, Malcolm Street, and Goughs Bay township.

New initiatives include:

Continuing and increasing the Outlying Communities Infrastructure Fund Grant program.
Increased Library opening hours and programs.
Providing increased Field Services resources to improve fire access tracks, expand street sweeping services and enable completion of in-house road renewal works
Extension of the Community Connections role until June 2024.
Additional permanent full-time Statutory Planning Officer to improve service provision and timelines for planning permits.
Events program to support new events to the Shire including the Mansfield Holden Nationals and increased support for community events.
Implementation of new software to improve carbon emissions tracking and reporting.
Expanded tree inspection resources and management program with an in-house arborist.
Digitisation program for building and septic files to eliminate risk of loss of manual records.

In addition to the budget, Council also adopted the Revised Revenue and Rating Plan to modify the differential rates applied to each property category to ensure a more equitable distribution of the general rates revenue and minimise rate “shocks” from large movements in property values.

The adopted budget increases the household waste charge. The majority of ratepayers have a 120L kerbside rubbish bin and currently pay $495 and in 2023-24 will pay approximately $541.74. The proposed cost is comparable to waste service charges at neighbouring councils and remains below the 2018-19 charge for this service despite inflationary and cost pressures.

The adopted budget can be found at mansfield.vic.gov.au/Budget-2023-24