The 2025-26 Budget is the first annual budget of the new Council term, reflecting key community priorities identified during the engagement process for the 2025–29 Council Plan.

Budget Highlights:

• Community Focus: The budget aims to deliver essential services, projects, and infrastructure that meet community needs while ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
• Rates Increase: A general rates revenue increase of 3% has been implemented, in line with the State Government rate cap.
• Financial Management: Council is budgeting for a $3.4 million adjusted underlying deficit, including borrowing $17 million for asset renewal investments. Cardinia Shire’s debt position remains low, reflecting responsible financial management.
• Koo Wee Rup Netball Club: Council plans to contribute funding once commitments and permissions are confirmed. The project has a funding shortfall of approximately $160k.
• Officer City Soccer Club: Master plan for McMullen Reserve will be considered in the 2026/27 budget.

Capital Works Program:

• Total Allocation: $74.2 million towards significant capital works projects.
• Asset Renewals and Upgrades: $55.6 million allocated for renewing and upgrading existing assets.
• New and Expanded Assets: $18.6 million allocated for constructing new and expanded assets.

Community Engagement:

• Feedback Period: The budget was open for community feedback from 17 April to 15 May, with numerous comments and submissions received. The 2025-26 Budget aims to deliver high-quality services and valued projects while ensuring long-term financial sustainability. Extensive consultation with Councillors, officers, and the community has shaped this budget to support and invest in future generations.
• Adoption: The Council adopted the Revenue and Rating Plan 2025–29 at the meeting on 16 June, outlining the revenue and rating approach for the next four years.

Future Plans: Over the next 12 months, Council will review its rating strategy to ensure fair distribution of rates contributions across the community.

The following key budget documents have been prepared for public exhibiiton and we invite your feedback.

Each year, Council develops an annual budget and a supporting capital works program which outlines how it will fund the delivery of programs, services and infrastructure to our community.

Community consultation on the annual budget is conducted in accordance with the Local Government Act, 2020 and Council's Community Engagement Policy 2025-2029.

The draft Budget will enable the delivery of more than 120 services to the community, while supporting maintenance and upgrades of existing facilities and infrastructure, including parks, sporting grounds and pavilions, footpaths, roads and bridges.

A rigorous budget preparation process included input from a community panel during the deliberative engagement for the ongoing development of the 2025-2029 Council Plan. A key theme from the panel was a strong desire for Council to invest effectively and efficiently in its programs and services. This has informed the development of the draft Budget, noting the competing tensions for scarce resources and the diverse views and needs of the community.

The local government sector continues to face significant financial sustainability challenges, and Cardinia Shire is not exempt from these pressures. As such, advocacy will be a key focus for Council as we seek external funding sources for vital community infrastructure and services. For further details of Council's advocacy projects head to this webpage.

Council is currently working through the process of consulting the community on its draft strategic objectives for the 2025-29 Council Plan as part of Future Cardinia. The draft strategic objectives and initiatives that will form part of the draft Council Plan will be available prior to the Budget being formally adopted by Council. The annual budget is an important part of Council’s integrated planning framework, all of which is created to help Council achieve its Community Vision 2040.

A four year Revenue and Rating Plan is adopted at the start of every Council term following a Council election. The draft Revenue and Rating Plan 2025-2029 outlines Council’s decision-making process on how revenue and rates are calculated and collected. It determines the most appropriate and affordable revenue and rating approach for Cardinia Shire Council, and sets guidelines for use in developing Councils Budget, Financial Plan and other strategic planning documents. Feedback is invited on the draft Revenue and Rating Plan in accordance with Council's Community Engagement Policy 2025-2029.

The Plan details how Council will raise the revenue needed to fund its activities. This includes:

• advocating for funding from other levels of government
• revenue sources such as fees and charges
• engaging in available investment opportunities
• ensuring the fair and equitable distribution of the remaining burden between ratepayers and other users of Council facilities and services.

Following the interim adoption of the Revenue and Rating Plan 2025-2029 in June 2025, a further detailed engagement will occur during the second half of 2025 on the review of the differential rating structure. The review ensures the continuation of a fair and equitable distribution of the rating burden across the municipality.

Privacy statement

We will be collecting your information for the purpose of inviting feedback on the draft budget 2025-2026 and draft Revenue and Rating Plan 2025-2029. See our complete Privacy Policy here.

Cardinia Shire Council Privacy Collection Statement

Personal information collected by Council, or its contractors, is used for municipal purposes as specified in the Local Government Act 2020. The personal information will be held securely and used solely by Council for these purposes and/or directly related purposes. Council may disclose this information to other organisations if required or permitted by legislation, and who are bound by substantially similar obligations. The applicant understands that the personal information provided is for the above purpose and that they may apply to Council for access to and/or amendment of the information. Requests for access and/or correction should be made to Council’s Privacy Officer on 1300 787 624 or mail@cardinia.vic.gov.au