Annual Budget

Two children running towards the camera with smiles on their faces

Council continues to work towards the community’s vision as outlined in Maroondah 2040 - Our future together. The vision was adopted in 2014, with further consultation and amendments made in 2020. It captures community aspirations and priorities, emerging themes and trends. These community aspirations and priorities are grouped into eight broad outcome areas that provide the structure for the four-year Maroondah City Council Plan 2021-2025. Consultation began in late 2023 for the development of our next community vision, Maroondah 2050. With further community consultation, including a Deliberative Panel, being held in 2024, we look forward to presenting our next community vision and outcome areas to the community later this year.

Under the Local Government Act 2020, Council is required to prepare the Financial Plan in accordance with its deliberative engagement practices. Over a period of six weeks, and ten sessions, a panel of 40 community members came together to deliberate on the topics of health and wellbeing; liveable communities; environment; and assets. The inputs and recommendations from this panel have informed the Finance Plan, Council Plan 2021-2025, and four-year Budget and will also inform a range of Council’s future strategic work, projects and service delivery.

The Council Plan has been informed by Council’s community engagement activities undertaken for the development and review of the Maroondah 2040 Community Vision; and Maroondah Liveability, Wellbeing and Resilience Strategy 2021-2031.

The 2024/2025 budget contains 40 major initiatives as identified in the Council Plan. These initiatives will contribute to the achievement of the four-year Council Plan key directions and ultimately the outcomes as outlined in Maroondah 2040.

In preparing the 2024/2025 Budget, Council has taken into consideration the rising cost of living facing our community whilst maintaining a strong foundation for the delivery of programs and services. This includes a review of income and capital work projects, ensuring a sustainable outcome for the year ahead and for the 10 year Long Term Financial Strategy (LTFS).

The LTFS outlines Council’s projected financial position for the next 10 years and provides a guide to the community, Council, and management to assist with decision-making about the future directions and operations of Council. The LTFS demonstrates our long-term financial sustainability and ensures we can continue to invest in community facilities and services while operating in a rate cap environment as set out in the Local Government (Fair Go Rates) Act 2015.

The Budget for 2024/2025 links to the achievement of the Council Plan as part of Council’s integrated planning framework. The 2024/2025 Budget outlines the provision of financial resources for the next 12 months and details how these resources will be applied to meet the actions and initiatives detailed in the Council Plan, as well as delivering the more than 120 services and the extensive range of programs and activities that Council provides to the Maroondah community.