Max Westwood
Hume council has adopted its 2024-25 budget despite opposition from two councillors.
The budget includes a $154.82 million capital works program and an average rate rise of 2.75 per cent, in line with the state government’s cap on rates.
Councillors Jodi Jackson and Trevor Dance voted against the budget during council’s June 24 meeting.
Cr Jackson said there were “a number of items” that have “not been resolved” throughout the budget process.
“I am fundamentally opposed to the volume of funds that have been allocated to a couple of projects, and those are projects that have been discussed across many, many briefings principally because there have been so many questions about them,” she said.
Cr Dance said he was opposed to the rates increase.
“I do not support rate increases with very little work to be done to reduce council costs,” he said.
“We continue to see capital projects having cost blow outs everywhere, residents are struggling out there.”
According to the budget, council will spend $35.88 million on improving, updating, and building new buildings.
This includes $7.22 million for the expansion of preschool rooms in community centres, and $6.7 million for pavilion and social room upgrades across local sporting clubs.
Council is also proposing to spend $25.64 million on the construction, upgrading, and maintenance of roads; $8 million on footpaths and cycle ways, and over $20 million on car parks; and $38.94 million on park and reserve upgrades across Hume.
In Sunbury, the budget $3 million upgrade to the water play area and surrounding space at the Sunbury Aquatic Leisure Centre, and $1.13 million towards new netball courts and an athletics track at the Eric Boardman Memorial Reserve.
Council will fund 11 community ideas, including four in Sunbury, as part of its budget. Council accepted community budget submissions between December and February, with residents putting forward 75 ideas.
Mayor Naim Kurt said the budget would help deliver the infrastructure needed to support Hume’s growing population.
