The Annual Budget 2024-25 is based on an operational surplus of $12.959 million, which will be directed towards our $54.191 million Capital Works Program. New borrowings of $7 million will also be required to help deliver infrastructure across our community.

The 2024-25 Capital Works Program includes:

• Recreation and open space ($17.963 million), including parks, open space and streetscapes ($13.903 million), bridges ($2.055 million), off-street carparks ($850,000), recreational, leisure and community facilities ($680,000), and other infrastructure ($475,000).
• Buildings ($13.42 million), including sporting and recreational facilities ($4.8 million), environmental sustainability initiatives ($1.81million), community centres ($3.23 million), and the building renewal program ($3.58 million).
• Roads ($10.845 million), drains ($3.155 million), footpaths and cycleways ($1.618 million)
• Plant and equipment ($5.79 million), including scheduled replacement of Council’s vehicle and plant fleets ($3.57 million), information technology ($1.22 million), and library resources ($1 million).
• Waste management ($1.4 million).

The Capital Works Program includes major projects that will benefit our community, including:

• $8.5 million toward the construction of the Altona Beach Entry and Esplanade closure project (Total cost of the multi-year project is $10.65 million).
• $2.5 million toward the Altona Hockey Club - Sports Pavilion Major Upgrades (Total cost of the multi-year project is $5.35 million).
• $1.9 million toward the Tree Planting - Urban Forest Program (Total cost for the coming five years is $5.7 million).
• $1.9 million to rebuild the Altona / Racecourse Road Ford Crossing, located at the lower end of Kororoit Creek.
• $1.85 million to upgrade the Altona North Community Library to a Centre of Excellence.
• $1.3 million toward the Laverton Football Club pavilion and scoreboard upgrade.
• $1.3 million to upgrade Mary Street Reserve under the Love Our Parks better places program.
• $700,000 to upgrade the Alma Avenue Shopping Precinct.
• $525,000 to build McCormack Park (Stage 2), which will include waterplay areas, playground works, an exercise hub, seating and BBQ areas and fixed shade structures (Total cost of the multi-year project is $3.095 million).
• $320,000 to resurface Ryan Lane, Altona.
• $210,000 to upgrade the Bayview Street Williamstown High School Crossing.

As well as building and maintaining infrastructure for our community, Council delivers more than 100 services across Hobsons Bay. These services are vital to ensuring all members of our community can access support services and participate equitably, feel safe and connected, and enjoy good health and social wellbeing.

Some of the service areas funded in the 2024-25 Budget include:

• Community Learning and Service Centres ($7.897 million), which manages the Council+ service centres, library branches and community centres.
• Community Support ($3.696 million), which includes support and activities for older residents, younger people with disabilities, and carers.
• Community Child Health ($3.572 million), which delivers a universal primary health (maternal and child health) and immunisation service available to all Hobsons Bay families with children from birth to school age.
• Community Development ($2.706 million), which provides $1.153 million in grants to Hobsons Bay community organisations, generates key community projects, and builds internal and external capacity to deliver inclusive and responsive services that meet the needs of diverse and disadvantaged communities.
• Youth Services ($1.665 million), which supports local young people with a range of social activities, leadership development, and mental health and support services.
• Early Years ($1.354 million), which provides access to affordable and high-quality children’s services, as well as support, mentoring, management, and advocacy for local early years’ service providers.
• Arts and culture ($1.285 million), which provides visual arts, public art, cultural development, heritage, Indigenous culture, cultural collections, festival and events and arts spaces.

In 2024-25, Council will continue to advocate to other levels of government for the funding needed to help us deliver an ongoing high standard of services and infrastructure. We will also continue to seek support for major projects that will bring economic, environmental, and social benefits to our city.

This includes the ongoing advocacy to the state and federal governments to financially support the construction of the Western Aquatic and Early Years Centre and the Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre projects.

Despite not being included in the current Ten-Year Capital Works Program, the budget includes a $946,000 transfer in 2024-25 to the infrastructure reserve to fund these important advocacy projects. The long-term Financial Plan includes transfers each year to this reserve to fund these projects in the future.

Council will continue to advocate to the other levels of government on its other advocacy priorities, including:

• seeking our community’s fair share of state and federal government investment in youth mental health services to address the growing mental health crisis faced by young people aged 12-25 in Hobsons Bay and the inner west of Melbourne.
• taking the lead in generating renewable energy and stimulating the local economy through the roll out of a Virtual Energy Network (VEN) building on the roll-out of solar panels on Council buildings.
• completing stages 4 & 5 of the Kororoit Creek Trail – a cycling and walking corridor providing a north-south connection to connect cyclists and pedestrians from Barnes Road to Cherry Lake.
• increasing the supply of affordable housing.

We will continue to advocate for these and other projects on behalf of the community.