Following two community conversations to help inform its development, the Annual Budget 2024/25 was endorsed at the June 2024 Council meeting. Thank you to all of those who provided feedback for this year's Budget, with a record number of contributions across the two engagement phases.

The Budget commits $140.4 million to support essential services and community initiatives over the next financial year.

Reflecting feedback on key priorities identified by our community, such as open space, sustainability, transport infrastructure, city amenity, safety, and health, wellbeing, and recreation, just over $80 million is allocated to capital works, which includes:

• $18.077 million for major projects
• $9.763 million for aquatic and leisure centres
• $8.610 million for parks and gardens

Council is also allocating $21.327 million to improving roads and footpaths, with $6 million dedicated to completing the Cowper Street upgrade. Additionally, $959,000 will go towards bicycle paths to improve cyclist safety and reduce road congestion.

Council will invest just over $400,000 to continue transforming its former Lae Street Nursery into a new park, featuring a gathering circle, following extensive community engagement.

The Budget is premised on a 2.75% increase in total rates revenue, in line with the rates cap allowed for by the State Government.

For more information and to download a copy of the 2024/25 Annual Budget or Companion Document, visit maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/budget

The community was invited to provide feedback on the Proposed Annual Budget, either online via a formal feedback form, a downloadable hard copy form or by email directly to the project team.

102 contributions were received - 95 online and seven emails..

General comments included requests for:

• more funding for sports, parks, and roading improvements
• more funding for Johnson Reserve specifically
• support for RecWest/Shorten spending
• more amenities
• opposition to funding of the McIvor Reserve Indoor Sports Stadium

You'll find more detail in the Phase Two Engagement Summary Report.

Because understanding your priorities early helps us better reflect the needs and outcomes for the community as a whole, in late 2023, we asked our community to rank the variety of services Council delivers in order of importance to them.

There was also an option to provide more detailed feedback.

Closely aligned with what we heard through previous budget engagements, of the 183 responses the highest-ranked areas were:

• open space
• sustainability and the environment
• cycling and pedestrian infrastructure
• city amenity and safety
• health, wellbeing, and recreation.

Read more in the Phase One Engagement Summary Report.