City of Swan Council has voted to increase rates by 3.5 per cent to continue delivering high-quality services and projects to one of WA’s fastest-growing communities.
The modest increase, which is lower than Australia’s annual inflation, marks the second time in five years that Council has lifted rates.
The rate rise was needed to align the budget with the priorities identified in the Strategic Community Plan 2021-2031 (SCP) and Council’s direction not to close facilities or cut services.
The Annual Budget 2024/25 was adopted at a Special Council Meeting on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.
“We froze rates for three consecutive years after the onset of COVID-19 to lessen the financial burden of the pandemic on homes and businesses,” Tanya Richardson, City of Swan Mayor, said.
“Council has been working hard to get this budget right in recent months and we’re confident we’ve struck the right balance for our growing community.
“This 3.5 per cent increase will help us deliver the diverse range of services and projects our ratepayers expect, while minimising costs in a challenging economic environment.”
The capital works program is a prime example of the inflationary pressures facing local governments.
Across Australia, annual costs for non-residential construction rose by 6.6 per cent to the March quarter on the back of ongoing labour and supply chain issues.
The City has one of the biggest capital works programs in WA, with a budget of $155.5m for 2024/25 to pave the way for a growing community.
This includes major infrastructure projects such as Swan Active Ellenbrook, the extension of Henley Brook Avenue and the construction of Ballajura Intergenerational Playspace.
The Annual Budget 2024/25 is the product of an integrated planning process that starts with the SCP.
The SCP is the City’s key strategic document, capturing the community’s priorities for the next 10 years and breaking them down into five key result areas – natural environment, economic, social, built environment and governance.
Each year, the City produces a Corporate Business Plan (CBP), detailed annual service plans and major project plans which outline how the City will deliver the priorities identified in the SCP.
The CBP is informed by other planning mechanisms, such as the Long Term Financial Plan – which measures SCP priorities against prevailing economic conditions – and Community and Business Perceptions Survey results.
The CBP then guides the development of the Annual Budget, the economic tool that allocates resources and puts the SCP into action.
It is a thorough and transparent planning process designed to make sure the City’s spending across its five key result areas aligns with community priorities.
At Wednesday’s Special Council Meeting, Council also adopted the Corporate Business Plan 2024/25-2027/28 and endorsed the Long Term Financial Plan 2024/25-2033/34.
“As Council Members, we set the City’s strategic direction, and that’s a role we take very seriously,” Mayor Richardson said.
“We spend a lot of time reviewing and refining these plans because it’s critical to have an effective planning process, especially for a local government like ours which is growing rapidly.
“Our main aims as a Council are representing our community’s interests and making sure they get value for their money – and that’s what this responsible budget does.”
The City’s 2024/25 capital works program at a glance:
- $33.6m to improve our road network through road construction, upgrades, safety and parking projects
- $7.7m to get kids playing outdoors with playspace construction and improvements
- $5.5m to give local community groups a place to call home by building the Ellenbrook Community Hub
- $3.4m to kickstart one of our most anticipated projects with the design and construction of Swan Active Ellenbrook
- $3m to preserve our heritage with works on buildings such as the Midland Junction Arts Centre
- $2.8m to boost sustainability by introducing a new three-bin FOGO system
- $2.4m to improve access and safety on cycleways, footpaths and shared paths
- $2m to continue the revitalisation of Midland with stage one construction of Trackside Entrance and Grandstand Way in the New Junction precinct
- $1.6m to make Swan greener, including planting more than 1,200 street trees in line with the City’s Urban Forest Plan
- $900,000 to increase female participation in sport with changeroom upgrades in Beechboro and Ballajura
- $100,000 to boost safety with the introduction of more mobile CCTV towers
- $30,000 to increase accessibility by installing universal access ramps and pedestrian crossings in Ballajura
To view the City’s corporate plans and strategies, including 2024/25 service plans for all 35 of the City’s services, visit www.swan.wa.gov.au/corporate-plans-and-strategies.