The Annual Plan and Budget 2018-19 is the second in our four-year Council Plan for 2017-21. It builds on work already completed to deliver on our vision for our city’s growth, sustainability, prosperity and liveability.

The draft Annual Plan and Budget outlines more than $576 million worth of community services, programs and initiatives in the 2018-19 financial year, with a major focus on capital works projects designed to help the city cope with an expected unprecedented population increase in coming years.

Key aspects in the 2018-19 draft budget include:

  • $435 million in programs and initiatives
  • Fully funded $141 million Council infrastructure programs with a further $20 million for maintenance
  • Proposed underlying surplus of $14.9 million
  • 2.25 per cent increase in rates
  • $1.50 per hour parking fee increase in the central city.

Consultation closed

Open space management and keeping Melbourne clean

  • $133.7 million on recycling, waste collection, street cleaning and public lighting.
  • More than $7.1 million investment in the renewal of Melbourne’s 480 hectares of parks and gardens.
  • $22.7 million investment towards creating two hectares of open space on Southbank Boulevard.

Families, youth and children

  • $18.6 million including maternal and child health services, immunisations, parenting services, youth and student services.

Disability, aged care and homelessness

  • $6.1 million on home and personal care, delivered meals, respite and community transport.

Arts and Culture

  • $16.3 million to support Melbourne’s arts, including more than $753,000 on our Indigenous Arts Program.

Events, city promotion and tourism

  • $36.4 million to promote the city including more than $17 million on major events including Moomba, New Year’s Eve and Christmas.

Health, safety and wellbeing

  • $36 million in-state funded initiatives, including bollards and CCTV.

Libraries and community strengthening

  • $12.5 million to operate our six libraries and community hubs.

The City of Melbourne is committed to providing the highest level of services to our community, and in order to do that we are increasing rates by just 2.25 per cent. As always, Council continues its strong focus on containing operating costs.

Since 2011, there has been a 22 per cent decrease in parking spots in the central city along with a 5 per cent decrease outside the central city area. These figures will continue to decline as the number of major state-led infrastructure programs increase.

To offset this decline in revenue and maintain our investment in services and infrastructure, we are increasing fees for on and off-street parking. A one-hour park in the central city will rise from $5.50 to $7, bringing the cost in line with on-street parking costs in Sydney’s central city. Parking spaces outside the central city will increase no more than 80 cents per hour. It is the first time that parking fees have been increased since 2013.

Annual plan and budget key projects 2018-19