This consultation is closed

In the midst of coronavirus (COVID-19), we’ve worked hard to develop a budget that continues to deliver the essential services our community needs, while also supporting you through the pandemic and into the recovery phase.

Thank you to everyone who shared their fantastic ideas and priorities with us during the first phase of community engagement in late 2019.

While COVID-19 has greatly shifted some of our priorities, your valued feedback has still shaped our proposed budget. You'll also still see a range of significant improvements across Yarra during this financial year.

After compiling your feedback, the budget was adopted at a Council Meeting on Tuesday 4 August 2020.

Read the adopted Budget 2020/21

Other important priorities

The effects of COVID-19 have meant we've had to revisit some of our strategic priorities this year. While we're still continuing with Yarra’s climate education and community engagement programs, we’ve had to delay some of our larger climate-related capital works programs. We’re also pausing the roll out of our new four-bin waste and recycling service until we fully understand the economic impact of COVID-19.

We acknowledge the significant support you have for these projects, and will consider them in our mid-year budget review for delivery as soon as financially possible.

Proposed budget – at a glance

  • $197.36 million of total operating expenditure
  • $30.54 million for capital works projects and other new initiatives
  • $190.90 rate rebate for pensioners (this is in addition to the Victorian Government rate rebate)
  • 2 per cent increase in general rate revenue (in line with the Victorian Government rate cap)

Supporting you through COVID-19

Announced in early April, our $7.46 million COVID-19 Community and Economic Support Package provides financial assistance for the residents, businesses and organisations hardest hit by COVID-19.

This includes $2.6 million in grants to help our community get through COVID-19 and thriving on the other side.

Read more

Visit our proposed budget overview for more information and to read about some of the significant projects you'll see happening in Yarra in 2020/21. We've also developed an easy-to-read guide to the proposed budget.