Budget 2023-24
Mansfield Shire Council adopted the 2023-24 Budget and Revised Revenue & Rating Plan 2021-2025 at its Ordinary Council Meeting held Tuesday 27 June 2023.
The adoption of the budget followed two comprehensive community consultation processes undertaken in January 2023 and May 2023, which included presentations by Councillors at two community forums and consideration of submissions.
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.
Key infrastructure features of the 2023-24 budget include:
- Upgrades to Highton Lane and sealing of Rifle Butts Road – IMPACT Route Year 1 works $6,806k.
- Mansfield Station Precinct – new Heritage Museum Building Stage 1 construction and Pump Track design $1,670k.
- Mt Buller Service Road upgrade and improved car parking $500k.
- Heavy Vehicle Alternate Route (HVAR) Stage 2 completion (completion of upgrades to Greenvale Lane, Mt Battery Road and Dead Horse Lane) $956k.
- Lords Reserve Pavilion (over two financial years) and Lords Oval drainage $1,510k (subject to grant funding applications).
- Lords Reserve Public Toilet upgrade $200k.
- Bonnie Doon Recreation Reserve and Community Hall 65k.
- Merton Recreational Reserve - Public Toilet facilities renewal $63k.
- Pedestrian safety improvements - Monkey Gully Road, Malcolm Street, and Goughs Bay township $409k.
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 $25k.
- Implementation of new software to improve carbon emissions tracking and reporting $7k.
- Expanded tree inspection resources and management program with an in-house arborist $40k.
- Digitisation program for building and septic files to eliminate risk of loss of manual records $65k.
In addition to the budget, Council also adopted the Revised Revenue and Rating Plan to modify the differentials applied to each property category to ensure a more equitable distribution of the general rates revenue.
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.