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Council adopts 2024/2025 Budget to deliver community priorities

Media release

Council has adopted the 2024/2025 Budget with a strong investment focus on roads, footpaths, and flood resilience to meet community priorities.

The Budget is a critical piece of work that outlines how Council will continue to fund low cost or free community services, deliver necessary infrastructure used every day in the community, and maintain efficient internal operations.

Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said community involvement was important in shaping the Budget for the next financial year.

“Thank you to all residents who contributed to the 2024/2025 Budget process and to those who made submissions,” Cr Metcalf said.

“We saw a three-fold increase in community engagement compared to last year’s Budget, which helped us to check-in with residents on what mattered to you. Clear themes emerged from the feedback, prioritising investment in Roads, bridges, and drainage, followed by Waste, recycling, resource recovery, Parks, gardens, open spaces and Footpaths, tracks, and trails.

“Although Council already directs significant funds in these areas, your feedback confirmed where public spending should be prioritised, especially as we continue to operate in a financially challenging time.

“We also had to consider the serious impact of our changing environment and the challenges it brings, such as the recent floods, which are estimated to require $15M in repairs over the next two years. 

“This is the final Budget for the 2020-2024 Council term, reflecting the legacy we wish to leave and our commitment to investing responsibly ahead of the next Council term.

“The 2024/2025 Budget will allocate investment in key projects and priorities to enhance infrastructure and facilities in the community.”

Budget highlights

Roads, bridges, and drainage category:

  • $11.1M for road renewals include Nolan Street (from Napier Street to Charleston Road), Forest Lane (from Valentine Street to Langston Street), Howard Street (from Eaglehawk-Neilborough Road to Averys Road)
  • $360,000 for design of six road safety projects ahead of construction in the following financial year (Blackspot program)
  • $500,000 Midland Highway/Waratah Road intersection ultimate signals (funded through the Development Contributions Plan and the City)
  • $3M major road patching program 
  • Wattle Street Bridge barrier repairs and works
  • Bendigo Creek infrastructure renewal includes $1.8M for wall replacement at Nolan Street and the section from Booth Street to High Street
  • Work continues on the Kennington Reservoir Dam Wall rehabilitation – $900,000
  • $500,000 for flood recovery works to Spillway Road, Eppalock (damage from the October 2022 floods)

Waste, recycling and resource recovery category:

  • Eaglehawk Landfill rehabilitation to enhance transfer station operations – $153,000

Footpaths, tracks, and trails category:

  • $2.8M funding for new and renewal funding for footpaths. New footpaths include Edwards Road, Maiden Gully, Galvin Street, Bendigo, Nelson Street, California Gully, and Simpsons Road, Eaglehawk Stage 1, and Stage 2
  • $274,000 final allocation of funds for completing the Emu Creek underpass underneath Wellington Street, Strathfieldsaye
  • $674,000 for new shared paths including along Gungurru Road and Rennie Street in Huntly
  • Advocacy will continue on the design and options for the Bendigo Low Line project, creating a 4.4km shared walking and cycling path from Maple Street, Golden Square to Weeroona Avenue, White Hills

Parks, gardens, and open spaces category:

  • Renew public furniture, BBQs, and drinking fountains – $476,000
  • Garden Gully toilet block and play space design in Ironbark – $50,000 and play space renewals at Nabila Cresent play space, and Neangar Kindergarten play space 

Civic and city-owned community upgrades and projects: 

  • The Budget will contribute to the $4.3M Heathcote Civic Precinct upgrade, which also benefits from a $1M Living Libraries grant and $2M from the Commonwealth's Growing Regions fund
  • Marong Kindergarten and Community Hub Stage 1
  • Eaglehawk Courthouse access and amenities design
  • Continuation of Elmore public toilet renewal
  • Lake Weeroona changing place facility design
  • Kangaroo Flat Library tea room, kitchen and walkway renewal designs
  • Chinese Joss House Stage 2 structural renewal

Environment initiatives:

  • Continued Council support for the Greater Bendigo Climate Collaboration - $50,000
  • Continuation of the Agribusiness Support Officer role which will enable Council to continue to support our farming community
  • Environmental upgrades program which will include electrification, energy efficiency works and roof top solar installations at Council facilities - $320,000

Recreational facilities highlights:

  • Significant investments from other levels of government will support the redevelopment of the Bendigo Bowls Club and the Croquet Club’s facilities
  • Design and delivery of stage 1 works at North Bendigo Recreation Reserve, featuring a new soccer pavilion and change rooms
  • Design and delivery of female-friendly facilities at Golden Square Recreation Reserve
  • Malone Park scoreboard renewal
  • Strathfieldsaye Club Court Stage 3, including tennis and netball court upgrade 
  • Strathdale Park cricket nets extension
  • Spring Gully cricket nets renewal
  • Tannery Lane, Warne Court (juniors’ oval) drainage and ground renewal
  • Bendigo Regional Hockey Complex sport lighting design

"Our focus has been on balancing cost increases while continuing to invest in the priority service areas identified by our residents. This aligns with our Council Plan (Mir wimbul), also developed with significant community input,” Cr Metcalf said.

“The gap continues to grow between the revenue the City can raise, and the cost of delivering 68 services whilst funding new projects. The rate cap has not kept up with inflation, which means Council must carefully prioritise how it spends public money.

“It is a continuous challenge to stretch rates, fees, charges, and grants to maintain service delivery. However, our decision-making remains focused on achieving the best community outcomes.” Cr Metcalf said.

The City of Greater Bendigo's Operating Budget for 2024/2025 is $169M, funding the maintenance of parks, gardens, recreation facilities, waste collection, street cleaning, environmental health, statutory planning, road maintenance, tourism, visitor services, Bendigo Art Gallery, The Capital, and Ulumbarra theatres, among other services.

The Budget has been developed in line with the Victorian Government’s rate cap of 2.75 per cent. As with previous years, Council has not applied for a variation to the rate cap as it seeks to absorb increasing costs. While Council is acutely aware of the cost of living pressures in Greater Bendigo, the community relies on the many City services provided and subsidised.

For most local governments, the reality of operating under rate-capping, with the cost of materials and services increasing alongside community expectations, means Budgets are constrained. The City is making increasingly hard decisions during the year and through the budgeting process.

Over the past five years, the gap between inflation and rate increases has reached an estimated $49M. Due to these rising costs, waste charges will increase by $34 for a 140L bin in the 2024/2025 financial year. This increase reflects the cost of providing the service, as Council does not profit from waste services.

Residents will also notice a change on their rates notice: the Resource Recovery (waste) Service Charge will now be combined and called the Bins and Waste Services Charge.

Budget

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Locations:
Greater Bendigo