Liam McNally
Melton council’s draft budget for 2023-24 includes plans for $114 million of capital works to be built in the municipality, and a rate increase of 3.25 per cent, just below the state cap of 3.5 per cent.
The $239 million budget also reaps an operating surplus of $369.4 million from a $608.9 million operating income.
A $29.44 million spend on roads includes $10.35 million for Bridge Road, Strathtulloh, $4 million for Hume Drive in Taylors Hill, $3.75 million for Bulmans Road, Melton West and $1 million for the Taylors Road duplication and intersection upgrade of Gourlay Road.
Other traffic management projects include $4.58 million for a roundabout at the intersection of Greigs Road and Mount Cottrell Road, and $3.7 for a signalised intersection at Caroline Springs Boulevard and Rockbank Middle Road.
Community hub spending will include $5.76 million for Bridge Road, $3.34 million for Diggers Rest, as well as $2.7 million each for the Aintree kindergarten expansion, the Plumpton Community Centre and Neighbourhood House and the Weir Views North Community Hub.
The biggest sporting facility spends include $2.13 million for stage three of the Macpherson Park redevelopment, $2.7 million for Mt Atkinson East sports reserve, $2.57 million for the Melton Recreation Reserve pavilion and $2.1 million to redevelop a Burnside Heights Recreation Reserve Oval.
Melton mayor Lara Carli said council was investing in Victoria’s fastest growing municipality “to make sure Melton stays a great place to live, work and play for everyone”.
“Council is pleased to support 18 community ideas to the tune of $1.6 million and I thank the community for helping shape our budget to deliver the initiatives that are most needed,” she said.
“Community input has been an integral aspect for this year’s budget preparation and ensuring that we deliver a fair and sustainable budget that aims to strike the right balance between keeping the costs of living down while delivering better services for a growing community along with more infrastructure and the projects our community expects.”
The draft budget will be available for community feedback until 5pm on Tuesday, June 13.
