FIN_BudgetNewsletter_May21

Mayor’s message

As Australia continues to fight against COVID-19 with the rollout of vaccines, the City has not wavered in delivering services and infrastructure to our community to achieve our goal of being the City of Choice. We’ve delivered several key reforms that will guide the next 5 – 10 years of progress across social, economic and environmental outcomes, including: • a Sustainable Energy Action Plan – Corporate 2020 – 30 which guides our goal for 100 per cent renewables and 70 per cent reduced carbon emissions by 2030 • a third ‘Innovate’ Reconciliation Action Plan 2021 – 2023 • a Homelessness Strategy to guide the City’s vision and role in supporting people • a new Access and Inclusion Plan 2021– 25 which broadens the City’s commitment to an inclusive and thriving local community. The budget will continue to invest in these reforms and will maintain rates

that are competitive across the local government sector in recognition of the economic climate of uncertainty that residents and businesses are still operating under. As part of our COVID-19 response last year, Council committed to a one-off concession to ensure no ratepayer was asked to pay more than the previous year. We are not aware of any other Council taking the approach of a rates freeze for all ratepayers. When we set rates for 2021/22, we looked at what ratepayers were paying before the pandemic as a comparison. There will be a modest increase of an average of only 0.9 per cent over two financial years. The 2021/22 budget will invest in a range of planning to future-proof key areas across the City, including a Community Infrastructure Plan for the Stirling City Centre, Mount Lawley Streetscape improvements, grants for small businesses to improve shopfronts, finalisation of the Herdsman Glendalough Structure Plan and development of an Osborne Park Precinct Plan. We also look forward to the completion of the Trackless Tram Business Case and we will advocate for funding.

Major capital works for 2021/22 will include ongoing work on Stephenson Avenue Extension project as the first stage of Stirling City Centre, redevelopment of Hamersley Public Golf Course and Terry Tyzack Aquatic Centre. The City has also been conducting service reviews, which are an internal process of assessing how the City operates to ensure we are providing the best possible services. If the past 18 months have proven anything, it is that the only thing that is constant is change, so I want to assure every ratepayer that the City is committed to organisation-wide continuous improvement. As we approach October and the next local government elections, I want to personally encourage City of Stirling locals to consider putting their hand up to run for office as a Councillor. We need a diverse, passionate and capable group of local representatives to guide the City’s activities, and a healthier democracy at the local level benefits all.

Mark Irwin City of Stirling Mayor

Where your rates will be spent in 2021/22

4%

The City's 2021/22 Revenue Budget

2%

$'m

3% 15%

Administration, Governance and Council Support $13.4m

3%

7%

$144.6

General rates

Community Safety $8.1m

Development Services $9.4m

Parks and Sustainability $46.3m

Customer Service $8.4m

Recreation and Leisure $22m

Security service charge Grants, subsidies and contributions

$3.1

(operating and non-operating)

$40.2

Profit on sale of assets Fees, charges and other revenue

$0.3

Total $307.4 m

Total $309.9m

Planning and City Future $5.3m

Facilities, Projects and Assets $24.3m

Waste and Fleet $52.8m

Community Services and Libraries $26.8m

Design and Engineering $71.4m

$32.5 $40.1

Business Systems and Support $21.7m

Waste services

$1.7

Interest earnings

8%

2% 17%

23%

9%

7%

$262.5

Total

3