Budget and Rates 2023/24

Mandurah Council is set to consider key items that shape what we deliver for our community at its next Council meeting on July 25. These include the Long Term Financial Plan, 2023/24 Budget, and the Rates in the Dollar.

Operationally, these are important vehicles for the City of Mandurah to deliver on the 20-year Strategic Community Plan, which outlines Mandurah's vision for the future and the key priorities.

A forward-looking, responsible budget process...

We have worked hard to achieve a forward-looking and responsible budget in this current environment.

We’ve continued to rework our capital works program to prioritise immediate need and most impactful projects and the City has been successful in reducing its operating expenses.

We’ve worked hard to find new savings and reduced spending so the impact on our ratepayers is minimal.

As households across Australia are keenly aware, current inflation rates and increased cost of living expenses, have meant responsible, long-term budgeting is vital now more than ever.

This is not something new for us. We know how important it is to plan ahead and we do so with our 10-year Long Term Financial Plan. This approach is greater than other levels of government and ensures that decisions made today consider the impacts for the future.

With a considered and strategic approach, we’re able to rise to the current financial demands that we’re all facing and ensure that the impact to ratepayers is lower than inflation, all while continuing the positive momentum we’re seeing here in Mandurah.

Here’s a snapshot of the proposed Budget...

Rates and charges are our main source of income and are used to maintain infrastructure and deliver services and facilities for our community.

Here's an overview of the City's $137.8 million income sources...

Here's a breakdown of how the budget is spent...

The reworked $31.3 million capital works program also prioritises the immediate need and most impactful projects for our community and local economy. Highlights include:

• Coodanup Foreshore upgrade - improving amenities and recreation spaces, erosion protection, improved accessibility and path connections.
• Dawesville Foreshore (Dawesville Channel Southeast Foreshore) - improvements to access, environmental and recreation amenity.
• Eastern and Western Foreshore works - includes playground, picnic area improvements and renewal of toilet facilities.

This year, we’re continuing to focus on vital maintenance across our $1.4 billion asset portfolio...

We have an incredible array of community facilities in Mandurah. That’s our libraries and community centres, sports facilities, performing arts centre, boat ramps, playgrounds, parks and reserves... all of the things that help to make our neighbourhoods such a great place to live.

This important maintenance will ensure our community can keep enjoying all our great places and spaces well into the future, without passing a financial burden on to future generations.

We’re also continuing to support and connect our community in many ways...

There’s also heaps of great things happening in the year ahead that help connect and support our community.

This includes our exciting events program with favourites like Crab Fest, our Christmas Pageant, the Lights Trail and Skating in Mandurah.

There’s also neighbourhood and community activations, activities for our young people, community grants, business support and lots of other programs and services that help make Mandurah a great place to live, work and visit.

These important programs, activations and services support our local people, environment and economy whilst continuing Mandurah’s momentum.

How have we been able to responsibly keep rates low?

We’ve worked hard to find new savings and reduced spending so the impact on our ratepayers is minimal, for example:

• A short term savings target over the year - $500,000
• Reduction in funding for external projects and programs (just under $400,000)
• Permanent savings in long-term business improvements - $500,000

Have your say...

As part of the budget process, we asked our community to have their say on the:

• Proposed Long Term Financial Plan
• Proposed 2023/24 Rates for Advertising - proposed 4.95 percent rate increase

The community feedback period closed on July 19. Thank you to our community members that provided feedback.

UPDATE - At the July 25 Council meeting (see agenda) the Long Term Financial Plan and 2023/24 Budget were adopted. Read more here.

Together with our community, we’re rising to the current financial demands that we’re all facing and working to ensure that the impact on ratepayers is minimal, without passing a financial burden on to future generations.