City of Stirling adopts revised Strategic Community Plan and future-focused budget

The City of Stirling has adopted a revised Strategic Community Plan, an updated Corporate Business Plan and a $371.8 million Annual Budget which will allow it to maintain the high level of services ratepayers expect while continuing to deliver some of the lowest residential rates in Perth.

The City kept rate rises well below inflation from 2020 to 2025 to support the community during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, while operational costs increased.

Careful planning and responsible financial management have allowed the organisation to remain debt-free while adopting a residential rate rise of 4.9 per cent in its Annual Budget 2026/27.

Council adopted the budget on Tuesday night, alongside an updated Corporate Business Plan 2026-2030 and a revised Strategic Community Plan, Sustainable Stirling 2026-2036.

It was the culmination of a robust planning cycle shaped by the community and guided by a shared vision of a sustainable City with a local focus.

“Our Strategic Community Plan is our primary planning document that guides everything we do,” City of Stirling Mayor Mark Irwin AM said.

“We’ve just completed a major review of our Strategic Community Plan, with over 1,700 members of our community getting involved in shaping the future of our City over the course of 10 months.

“It was a significant exercise but it was worth every minute because it gave us an even greater understanding of what matters to most to our community.”

The City’s Corporate Business Plan translates the vision and objectives of the Strategic Community Plan into action through the delivery of services, projects and programs.

The Annual Budget is the economic tool that allocates resources to make it happen.

One of the major projects on the agenda for 2026/27 is the renewal of Recycling Centre Balcatta, with $10.6 million allocated for essential upgrades that will ensure the City can keep providing a safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable waste management service.

The artificial intelligence-powered Lynxight aquatic safety system will be rolled out to Stirling Leisure – Scarborough Beach at a cost of $240,000, after its successful implementation at the City's other aquatic facilities in Inglewood and Balga.

Subject to state funding, the City will start construction of Stage 1 of the Hutton Street extension from Scarborough Beach Road to Jon Sanders Drive – a project that will improve traffic flow in an increasingly important industrial and commercial precinct.

Building on strong partnerships with the WA Government, the City will progress key state election commitments, including the rebuild of the Porter-Pascoe Pedestrian Bridge at Lake Gwelup and upgrades to the performing arts facilities at Hamersley Community Hub, home of Endeavour Theatre Company.

An allocation of $1.8m for City Greening will fund the delivery of the City’s Free Trees and Plants Giveaway and the planting of 56,000 trees and shrubs in 2027 to grow urban canopy.

The Carine Community Parkland upgrade will be completed this year, with $1.1m for an exciting playground redevelopment that has been shaped by the local community.

New initiatives funded in the budget include the development of a Wetlands Action Plan to protect the City’s 30 wetlands, a partnership with a WA disability enterprise to provide proactive cleaning patrols in high-use activity centres, an early-careers program to improve workforce sustainability in priority areas and a standalone website focused on supporting local businesses and investment.

“As always, we continue to invest strongly in the quality of the first-rate local parks, reserves and sporting facilities our community values so highly,” Mayor Irwin said.

“Asset renewal and improvement of core infrastructure might not get the headlines, but it’s a key focus of our budget, from our recycling centre to our roads.”

The City’s Annual Budget 2026/27 includes:

• $34.2m for infrastructure renewals, including roads, footpaths and drainage
• $9.5m for building renewals
• $7m for community parkland upgrades and park asset refurbishments
• $2.7m for irrigation upgrades
• $1.6m for sports reserves infrastructure
• $1.2m for the City's Community Grants Program and event sponsorships
• $250,000 for the Safer Suburbs Rebate for security equipment.