By Dongyun Kwon
Yarra Ranges Council (YRC) is calling for the community’s feedback on its new draft budget 2024-25.
The councillors supported releasing the budget to the community for comments at the latest council meeting on Tuesday 23 April.
Walling Ward Councillor Len Cox OAM said he felt proud of the budget that has been worked on by the council staff.
“This budget has come up looking very good but now It’s time for us to give our residents a chance to tell us what they think of the budget and that’s one of the good things that local government does every year,” he said.
Streeton Ward councillor Andrew Fullagar said the council has listened to the community.
“We’re being told to be realistic, responsible and get back to basics,” he said.
“For those reasons, [firstly,] we’ve increased spending on drainage and a lot of the impacts on the multiple storm events over the last few years, upgrading a number of reserves across the shire, people want their open spaces, especially after Covid, spending on our local townships because many are looking tired and unloved and an increased focus on environment and sustainability off a very low base that’s in line too with climate impacts.
“Secondly, the story is told that we’re living in really tight budgeted times as to our residents and we’re mindful of the responsibility we have in allocating their funds, their money, so we’ve looked at internal efficiencies including reduction of staff and remunerations.”
The main focus for Yarra Valley on the draft budget is recovering flood-affected areas, rehabilitating road pavement and the Yarra Glen Trail project.
YRC allocated $1.2m for drainage improvement works and road rehabilitation to address pavement deficiency on Victoria Road, Coldstream, over $1.3m for road pavement rehabilitation on Maddens Lane, Gruyere, $225,000 for drainage improvements to address flooding and erosion on Maroondah Parade, Healesville and over $2.2m for development of a 10.7km trail circuit north of Yarra Glen.
Ryrie Ward Councillor Fiona McAllister said she wanted to reassure people who are worried about the projects that are missed out in the budget.
“They aren’t forgotten and are still very visible in our other key strategic documents,” she said.
“I’m gonna name some, I’m not gonna do a long list but there’s a long list – Don Road walking track, the community has been advocating for over 20 years for us to construct that and we will, Healesville Football Club and Healesville Cricket Club, we’ll continue advocacy in terms of funding for both of those clubs’ pavilions rebuild or refreshed.
“One of the things, invisible not forgotten, is the impact of flooding emergencies on many of our community and community groups and certainly the increased funding for drainage is very front of mind, and supporting some of our community groups who are in facilities, like the Yarra Glen Football Club, that tackle flooding.”
The council’s draft budget is available to view on the YRC website, shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/draft-budget-2024-25, which outlines every service and program of YRC and how it will be funded for the coming year.
Feedback is open until Sunday 19 May.
