Balanced and debt-free budget endorsed by Council

The City of Stirling Council has this week endorsed its 2021/22 budget, which charts a path forward out of the economic uncertainties of 2020 caused by COVID-19.
 
Moving in to 2021/22, the City continues to be in a solid financial position, remaining debt-free, with its finances aligned to strategic priorities. During 2021/22, the City’s balanced budget will spend significant funds on the maintenance and improvement of its infrastructure. This includes:

• $32.5 million of capital building works
• $20.1 million on roads, drainage and footpaths
• $12.0 million on parks and reserves
• $4.0 million on rights of way.

Major capital works for 2021/22 will include ongoing work on the Stephenson Avenue Extension project, as well as the following:

• Hamersley Public Golf Course redevelopment
• Terry Tyzack Aquatic Centre redevelopment
• Inglewood Oval/Hamer Park redevelopment.

The 2021/22 budget will also invest in a range of planning to future-proof key areas across the City, including a Community Infrastructure Plan for the Stirling City Centre, finalisation of the Herdsman Glendalough Structure Plan and development of an Osborne Park Precinct Plan.
 
The 2021/22 budget will include a modest average rate increase of 0.9 per cent for residential properties on pre-pandemic levels, and a 0.9 per cent increase on the rate in the dollar for commercial and industrial properties based on last year’s rates.
 
Mayor Mark Irwin said during budget deliberations, Council had both an ambitious agenda for developing the future of the City as well as a keen understanding of the pressures residents still face.
 
“We are acutely aware of where our income as a local government is derived, so I am pleased that we took the time to get the balance right,” he said.
 
“This is another strong budget, and we are fortunate to have the resources we need to pursue an ambitious agenda for the future of the City whilst at the same time being debt-free, maintaining a balanced budget, and keeping rate increases to their lowest possible level.

“This agenda is a big, bold vision for the future of our community, pursuing the programs and projects that will cement our position as Perth’s second CBD. These include a pragmatic and achievable action on climate change and emissions reduction, innovative new approaches to public transport which deliver corridor uplift at a fraction of the cost and disruption, our last ‘innovate’ level Reconciliation Action Plan, and big new ideas for using the City’s strategic vacant land to its fullest potential.
 
“We’ve shown this past year, especially through our recent recommendations to planning authorities for large development applications, that we are able to find the balance between encouraging significant investment in the City and making sure we listen to local residents about the liveability of their neighbourhoods, and I’m proud of how far we’ve come.”
 
The 2021/22 budget includes $6 million in funding from the State Government for projects that received election commitments during the 2021 March State Election, some of which include:

• $1.5 million for upgrades to Grindleford and Rickman Delawney Reserves
• $1.3 million towards redevelopment of Inglewood Oval/Hamer Park
• $500,000 toward the Constance Street/Morley Drive intersection
• $200,000 toward the Mettams Pool Erosion Recovery Project
• $320,000 for upgrades to the Balga Plaza and Mirrabooka Village Neighbourhood Centres.

This significant investment in local facilities and programs across every ward in the City was welcomed by Mayor Mark Irwin today, who said he was proud of the advocacy efforts of the City during the campaign, and the professional approach taken.
 
“We have received informal feedback from the State Government that our advocacy approach was more proactive than any other local government and they commended us on putting forward projects that were well-planned, programs that were well researched and initiatives that the City was willing to partner with them on,” he said.
 
“Advocating for Federal and State Government funding is a crucial part of ensuring that the City can deliver the maximum value to residents across issues and portfolios ordinarily controlled by those levels of government, but expected by the community nonetheless.
 
“Our advocacy at the federal level has led to a first-of-its-kind investment in a Trackless Tram business case of $2 million, just as it led to both Federal and State investment in the Stirling City Centre project and Stephenson Avenue Extension.”