Rejuvenating the Maribyrnong River foreshore, redeveloping Little Saigon and a makeover for Nicholson Street Mall are all on the agenda in Maribyrnong Council’s 2015/16 Budget.
The proposed $140 million budget, to be considered at Tuesday night’s council meeting, would be funded by a 3.7 per cent rate rise, down from the 4.7 per cent rise last year and inclusive of a 2 per cent infrastructure levy towards closing the $55 million infrastructure renewal gap within a decade.
The rise would help council collect $87.7 million in rates and charges, more than double its 2005/06 rates revenue of $42.4 million.
The Budget proposes $48.7 million spending on capital works and infrastructure, including $8.6 million on open space and parks, $7.5 million on roads and $3.3 million on footpath and bicycle networks.
The biggest single spend is $5.4 million on the Little Saigon redevelopment, to fund a new multi-deck carpark, open space and retail space.
Other big ticket items include $1.5 million to begin work on a new Footscray Community Hub incorporating Footscray Library and $1.4 million on improving the Nicholson Street mall.
The council has allocated $800,000 for the Maribyrnong Rivers Edge project, $500,000 for Pipemakers Park and $300,000 towards an East Meets West Welcoming Arch in Footscray.
The budget also proposes spending $530,000 on festivals, $500,000 on tree planting, $200,000 on refurbishing the town hall and $350,000 each on refurbishing the Church Street and Maribyrnong River Early Learning Centres.
The Proposed 2015/2016 Annual Budget and Strategic Resource Plan 2015-2019 will be released for public comment for 28 days.
A budget information session will be held at Maribyrnong town hall at 6.30pm Wednesday, April 29.
