Hume City Council’s 2022/23 Draft Budget has been released, and includes investment in key services such as libraries, leisure centres, preschools, maternal and child health, and aged and disability programs.
The Draft Budget is complemented with investment in city infrastructure through the four year capital works program, which has a strong focus on community facilities, transport infrastructure, parks and reserves; to reflect community growth and respond to the increase in service needs.
The 2022/23 Draft Council Budget commits to:
- More than $554 million in new funding will be invested in community facilities, roads, footpaths, parks and reserves over the next four years, including $101 million in 2022/23
- $29.92 million to improve, upgrade and develop new buildings, including the new Merrifield South Community Centre, Kalkallo Central Community Hub, and Seabrook Reserve Community Hub, as well as the upgrade of the old Craigieburn Leisure Centre to a new indoor sports facility
- $20.15 million to construct, upgrade and maintain roads across Hume City, as well as $3.78 million for footpaths and cycleways and $10.18 million for car parks
- $19.94 million for land improvements, including park and reserve upgrades, construction of sporting fields and more. This includes the implementation of the Progress Reserve Master Plan and Seabrook Reserve Master Plan, continuation of works for the athletics track, lighting and associated amenities at Boardman Reserve, and construction of four rugby pitches at District Active Reserve Central Area, Craigieburn
Council will also provide $168.66 million to meet the growing demand for a variety of day-to-day services over the next 12 months to:
- Collect more than 86,000 tonnes of kerbside waste, recycling and organics
- Provide 19,000 hard waste collections
- Undertake more than 42,171km of street sweeping
- Remove more than 5,000m² of graffiti
- Provide 76,800 hours of domestic assistance, personal care and respite care for aged residents
- Deliver more than 40,400 meals for people in need
- Host more than 1.2 million visits to leisure centres
- Loan more than a million library items to thousands of Hume Libraries members
- Deliver more than 25,000 immunisations
- Coordinate 35,000 maternal and child health consultations
- Register more than 24,000 dogs and cats
- Deliver more than 1,600 food safety assessments
The 2022/23 Draft Budget includes a total income of $457.43 million and operating expenditure of $354.25 million, generating a surplus of $103.18 million.
Additionally, Hume City Council is undergoing an internal realignment which aims to put the community and customers at the front and centre of everything the Council does, so it can efficiently deliver a thriving, inclusive and sustainable Hume.
These changes are expected to create an uplift in what Council is capable of, ensuring the organisation can work efficiently and effectively with each other and for the Hume community.
Hume City Council Mayor, Carly Moore, said, “The 2022/23 Draft Council Budget recognises and responds to the needs of our growing community through investments across services, facilities and programs.
“The investments are our commitment to serving our community now and into the future, whilst maintaining an economic approach that is based on good governance and sound financial management, and is informed by principles of social justice and environmental sustainability.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, Council has invested $14.5 million in stimulus support for the community, putting Hume City in a strong position to recover. This includes a number of recovery actions to address impacts on jobs, businesses and unemployment.
“I encourage everyone in the community to view the draft budget and provide feedback to ensure it reflects their own needs and expectations.”
Consultation on the 2022/23 Draft Council Budget will occur from 27 April – 16 May 2022.
View the draft budget and find out more about options to provide feedback at participate.hume.vic.gov.au/proposed-budget-2022-23
