June 2025 Council Meeting wrap

Last updated on 20 June 2025

Some of the key items considered and endorsed at the June 2025 Council Meeting included:

Revenue and Rating Plan

Council adopted the Revenue and Rating Plan 2025-2029 – one of Council’s key documents required to be updated after a Council election, every four years.

Council delivers a broad range of services and infrastructure to the community and requires a clear and balanced approach to revenue generation, to maintain service levels and invest in community assets. The Revenue and Rating Plan, informed by feedback from Councillors and the community, outlines how Council intends to raise revenue and apply the rating structure over the next four years to fund services, programs and infrastructure.

Budget 2025-26

Following consideration of recent community feedback on the Draft Budget 2025-26, Council adopted the final Budget 2025-26.

This budget includes revenue of $124.5 million which contributes towards the delivery of $28.4 million of capital expenditure to renew and upgrade Council's assets. Some of the projects include:

  • $11.5 million on local roads, bridges, footpaths, drainage and associated works, including just over $900,000 on new footpaths aligning with Council’s Shire-wide Footpath Plan
  • $9.2 million on Stage 2 of the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Precinct
  • $1.17 million on recreation-focused initiatives including designs for a new Kyneton Skatepark, continued renewal works for light towers at Council’s sporting facilities, design for light towers and oval surfacing works at Romsey Oval 2, and pitch lighting for Dixon Field in Gisborne
  • close to $2 million on building renewals, including several community-driven initiatives through earlier consultation such as an access ramp and air conditioning upgrade to Lancefield Courthouse, a water tank for the Bullengarook Community Hall and toilet upgrades for the Woodend Bowling Club.

Council will also continue to facilitate two free green waste vouchers and two ‘free weeks’ for green waste disposal at our resource recovery facilities.

Through earlier consultation in late 2024 and an invitation for the community to submit their own initiatives, 61 submissions were received. In an additional two-week consultation period on a concise version of the Draft Budget 2025-26 in May 2025, 20 public submissions were received and responses to those are detailed in the meeting agenda.

Council will generate $53.56 million from general rates and the municipal charge. The increase from 2024-25 is equal to the 3% maximum rate cap increase permitted by the Victorian Government’s Fair Go Rates system.

Victorian Local Government Child Friendly Cities and Communities Charter

Council endorsed becoming a signatory to this Charter, which is a statement of intent for local governments and organisations to recognise children as valued members of the community.

The Charter supports a child-safe and child-friendly organisational culture, and provides an invitation for Council officers to collaborate with children and young people on issues that affect them. Internally, the Charter provides departments opportunities to learn ways to broaden consultations to include children and young people.

Further information on this Council Meeting, including minutes and a meeting recording, can be found at Council meetings

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