External influences
Victorian Government
The Victorian Government influence on our budget includes:
- the Victorian Government’s rate cap increase of 2.75%.
- the Victorian Government waste levy is expected to increase from $129.27 to $132.76 per tonne in 2024–25. The waste levy changes are part of the Victorian Government’s Recycling Victoria package. This is a 10-year action plan to encourage more recycling and reduce waste going to landfill.
- the Fire Services Property Levy that we collect for the Victorian Government.
- ongoing cost shifting. This happens when a local government provides a service to the community on behalf of the Victorian or Australian Government. Over time, the cost for providing the service goes up, but the funding a local government receives doesn’t match it.
Grant funding
We’ve received capital works grant funding of $1.22 million, with the most significant being $1.05 million from the Australian Government for the Roads to Recovery Program funding covering roads pavement renewal works.
Internal influences
Internal influences on our budget include projects that aren’t finished or haven’t started yet. This can be because of planning issues, weather delays or a longer consultation with the community.
Employee costs are another internal influence. These are mostly driven by Council’s Enterprise Agreement. We have included an annual increase of 2.75% for all costs related to employees, such as wages, Work Cover and superannuation. In 2024–25 the compulsory Superannuation Guarantee Scheme (SGC) will also increase from 11% to 11.50%.
Waste collection costs will also increase in 2023–24 by roughly 9.4%. This is linked directly to the cost of providing the waste services.