By CASEY NEILL
MOST ratepayers will need to find an extra $41.11 a year under City of Greater Dandenong’s proposed 2013-14 budget.
Councillors unanimously endorsed the financial plan on Monday night, which includes a 5.9 per cent average rate rise.
However, the council’s corporate services director Mick Jaensch said a waste charge reduction would mean an overall 4.17 per cent average.
This will mean an extra $41.11 for a $360,000 property – which includes half of the council’s residences – and a $57.76 rise for a property valued at $500,000.
Mr Jaensch said the cash collected would fund maintenance, services and projects across the municipality.
“Most members of the community will see some result,” he said.
But councillor Peter Brown said Noble Park, “that little suburb squeezed in between Sandown Park Station and Yarraman”, had dropped off someone’s radar.
“A couple of small items that are being funded need mentioning – $400,000 for continued development of Ross Reserve according to the council’s approved master plan, and the council repurchasing and landscaping the car park in Leonard Avenue, which is presently in private ownership, to secure long-term parking opportunities for shoppers in Noble Park.”
The most significant project in the budget is $16.217 million for the Municipal Building Project in Dandenong.
“This landmark project will contribute to the revitalisation of Central Dandenong by attracting new services to the area, as well as improved community access to council services, a new state-of-the-art library and new community meeting facilities,” Mr Jaensch said.
“It will form a vital component of a re-vitalised central Dandenong and will be a key community asset for decades to come.”
He said it was built without any rate increase, drop in services or cuts to other capital works.
There’s also $2.62 million allocated to support Greater Dandenong Business, $1.32 million for the Dandenong North and West kindergartens, $503,000 to keep customer service in Springvale, $400,000 for the playground renewal and upgrade program, and about half a million dollars for sporting facility upgrades.
Cr John Kelly said the rate increase was reasonable, particularly compared to other metropolitan councils.
“This is a fair budget for our ratepayers,” he said.
“There’s always competing needs.
“We can’t possibly do everything that’s on the wish list.”
Cr Kelly said the council had money to maintain each of its 67 bridges, whereas sister city Gannawarra could only allocate cash to one of its 52 bridges each year.
He said there was also funding to maintain 640 kilometres of roads and 96 playgrounds.
“How lucky are our ratepayers to have that?” he said.
The public has four weeks from 13 May to comment on the draft, which will be finalised at the 24 June council meeting.
