Delivery Program 2025-2029, Operational Plan & Budget 2025/26

Draft Delivery Program and Operational Plan 

The draft Delivery Program and Operational Plan (DPOP) outlines a significant program of projects and service delivery that has been developed in response to the draft Community Strategic Plan 2025-2050 (CSP).

While the Delivery Program is a four-year plan, it includes a draft Year 1 Operational Plan for the 2025/26 financial year, which outlines the specific services, projects, performance indicators, and Budget details for the period.

Council reviews the DPOP every year to ensure the programs and projects are on track and continue to support the outcomes of the CSP. 

Key project highlights in the draft DPOP: 

• More funding for local parks, roads, cycleways and footpaths across the local government area
• Completion of a new community recycling facility, FOGO domestic waste program and the Waste Strategy
• Development of the Tree Canopy and Nature Positive plans
• Increased funding for Council's events and festival program
• Redevelopment of Riverside Theatres
• Continued commitment to core services supporting our community including a detailed review of our Customer Service systems

The draft Year 1 Delivery Program, Operational Plan & Budget ('DPOP') and summary versions are available in the Resources section of this page.

Draft Budget 2025/26

Council has budgeted for more than $560 million in operating and capital expenditure in the 2025/26 financial year. This will fund the broad range of services and projects listed in the DPOP and includes a strong program of capital works for the year.

Council aims to ensure its net operating position is in surplus over the medium to long term through the prudent management of revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities and insurance.

In 2025/26, Council is budgeting for a net operating surplus (before capital grants & contributions, and loss/gain on asset disposals) of $0.6m.

For every $100 spent in 2025/26, Council will deliver:

You can find more details about our draft Budget 2025/26 in the Resources section of this page.

Additional options for the Draft Budget 2025/26

At a Council meeting on 12 May 2025, Councillors resolved to exhibit a number of additional options for consideration in the budget.

The options and considerations fall into the following categories:

1. New items proposed for inclusion in the draft Budget 2025/26
2. Additional considerations for the draft Budget 2025/26
3. Items proposed not to be funded in the draft Budget 2025/26 (‘exclusions’)

These options are now presented for community feedback.

You can view the proposed options here and have your say via the survey on this page.

Rating Structures

The draft Budget includes proposed rating structures for 2025/26 for all rateable properties (residential and business). Rates and charges are Council’s main source of recurrent income, and are used to maintain infrastructure and deliver services and facilities to the community.

Council typically increases its rates by a small amount each year, to cover increasing costs of delivery. Limits to annual rate increases are determined by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) – known as the 'rate peg' – setting the maximum general income Council can collect from ordinary rates.

The draft Budget 2025/26 includes the application of the full IPART approved rate peg of 6.2%, and application of the same rate peg amount of 6.2% to the domestic waste charge.

You can read more about the draft Budget including proposed rating schedules in the Resources section of this page.

Draft Fees & Charges 2025/26

Council's draft Fees & Charges 2025/26 outline a range of updated Fees & Charges proposed for Council services. The new Fees & Charges are scheduled to commence on 1 July 2025.

Similar to rates, Council's fees and charges are typically increased by a small amount each year, to keep up with inflation and increasing costs of service delivery. The draft Fees & Charges 2025/26 include the application of a general 5% increase to unregulated fees and charges.

The proposed fees, including key changes (new fees, discontinued fees and increases more than 5%), can be found in the Resources section of this page.

Draft Resourcing Strategy plans

To implement our strategic and operational plans, Council needs to carefully manage finances, assets and infrastructure, and the workforce. To do this, Council prepares and regularly reviews a suite of long-term supporting plans known as the Resourcing Strategy.

To support the review of the DPOP this year, Council has reviewed and updated the following Resourcing Strategy plans:

Draft Long-Term Financial Plan

The Long-Term Financial Plan is a 10-year rolling plan that informs decision-making and demonstrates how the objectives of the City’s CSP and commitments in the DPOP will be resourced and funded. It helps ensure that Council can continue delivering its broad range of services and projects in a financially sustainable way.

Draft Asset Management Strategy and Plans

Council’s Asset Management Strategy includes a suite of plans that help ensure all assets under Council’s control are maintained and managed in a responsible and cost-effective manner.

Council has prepared Asset Management Plans for its Buildings, Parks and Open Spaces, Stormwater Network and Road Infrastructure assets. These plans have been developed to respond to community needs and expectations around acceptable levels of service, asset conditions, and long-term asset sustainability.

Draft Workforce Management Strategy

The Workforce Management Strategy details priorities and actions to be implemented during the next four years, to ensure Council has a workforce capable of delivering all outcomes, services and initiatives identified in the CSP and DPOP.