Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay councils have each flagged rate rises on residential properties of less than four per cent.
A new Footscray community hub, redeveloping Little Saigon, a makeover for Nicholson Street Mall and rejuvenating the Maribyrnong River foreshore are all on the agenda for Maribyrnong council’s 2015-16 budget, which was voted on last night.
A proposed $140 million budget would use funds from a 3.7 per cent rate rise – down from the 4.7 per cent rise last year and inclusive of a two per cent infrastructure levy – to carry out some of the $55million of city works which have been backlogged for several years.
The rise would help collect $87.7million in rates and charges towards a $48.7million spend on capital works and infrastructure, including $8.6million on open space and parks, $7.5million on roads and $3.3million on footpath and bicycle networks.
Meanwhile, Hobsons Bay council has flagged a 3.8 per cent residential rate rise as part of its rating strategy, ahead of releasing its draft 2015-16 budget next week. (Last year’s rates averaged 4.8 per cent.)
Also proposed are rate rises of 6.8 per cent on residential vacant land, 3.61 per cent on commercial properties, 4.29 per cent on industrial properties, 6.8 per cent on industrial premises, and 4.48 per cent for cultural and recreational uses. These figures could change.
Charges for garbage, recycling, garden waste and hard waste in Hobsons Bay have been decreased 17 per cent as a result of waste contract negotiations and the refunding to ratepayers of $650,000 collected by the scrapped carbon tax.
In Maribyrnong, the biggest single spend is $5.4 million towards a new multi-deck carpark, retail and open space in Footscray’s Little Saigon. Other big-ticket items include $1.5 million 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 archway in Footscray.
Maribyrnong council also earmarks $530,000 for festivals, $500,000 for tree planting, $350,000 each for two early learning centres, and $200,000 for town hall refurbishments.
A budget information session will be held at Maribyrnong Town Hall from 6.30pm, April 29. The budget is open for comment for 28 days.
– with Goya Dmytryshchak
