Knox Council has adopted its annual budget for 2024-25, which includes $126 million for services and nearly $77 million in infrastructure investment.
Knox Mayor, Councillor Jude Dwight said remaining financially sustainable is critically important but becoming more challenging with inflation continuing to rise much higher than the rate cap.
“Across Knox, like the rest of Australia, our community and Council are feeling the impact of cost-of-living pressures,” she said.
“Council is striving to fund the staggering number of services we deliver while maintaining and improving ageing infrastructure and delivering new facilities for our growing community.”
Cr Dwight said Council need to continuously assess our current and future services to ensure they are sustainable and remain affordable for the community whose rates we are entrusted with.
“Council continues to prioritise which services it can afford to deliver alongside phasing the capital works program in line with available funds,” she said.
Highlights of the 2024-25 capital works program, which incorporates nearly $77 million in new infrastructure and ongoing projects investment, included the following new funding:
$10.8M on resurfacing and reconstructing local roads, using recycled material wherever possible, and renewing our drainage
$5.3M to renew sports reserves and facilities, including Wally Tew and Lewis Park ovals, and Fairpark and Windermere cricket nets
$4.8M to improve footpaths and cycling paths, in addition to $1.2 million to deliver a dedicated cycling path along Chandler Road, Boronia
$11.4M to upgrade sporting pavilions, including at Carrington Park and, subject to confirmation of state/federal funding, Tormore and Wally Tew reserves
$1.1M to upgrade car parks in Carrington Park, Knox Park, Stud Park and Wantirna reserves
$2.6M for flood mitigation on Forest Road, Boronia, and creating wetlands at Liberty Avenue, Egan Lee and Gilbert Park reserves to improve stormwater quality and management and enhance the natural habitat. This is in addition to contributing to Melbourne Water wetland works in Lewis Park.
$3M in playground and recreation upgrades, including playgrounds at Knox Gardens and Sovereign Crest reserves. This is in addition to open space enhancements at Kings Park and Gilbert Park Skate Park.
$900,000 to continue LED streetlight replacement along major roads in Knox, reducing energy costs and greenhouse emissions.
Total rates will increase by an average of 2.75% in line with the state government’s rate cap, which is well below inflation.
However, rate increases (or decreases) experienced by individual ratepayers may differ from the 2.75% depending on the value of their property.
Rates are based on independent revaluations by the Victorian Valuer-General, with residential and non-residential property values in Knox increasing by an average of 6.58%.
“If your property increased in value by more than the 6.58% average for Knox, your rates will increase by more than 2.75%,” Cr Dwight said.
“If your property value increased by less than the 6.58% average, your rates will increase by less than 2.75% and may even be less than last year,” she said.
“Average residential rates in Knox remain among the lowest in metropolitan Melbourne.”
“Recognising that we are experiencing a cost-of-living crisis, Council has committed to retaining the $100 rate rebate for eligible pensioners to ease the rates burden. This is in addition to the state government’s pensioner rebate.”
Waste charges have reduced this year by $6.70 for the standard 80L rubbish bin and $15.30 for the larger 120L rubbish bin. This includes a 240L recycle bin, 240L food and garden bin, two hard waste collections and the green bundled waste service.
The Valuer-General’s valuations showed that Wantirna homes rose the most, recording an average 10.1% price increase.
This was followed by Scoresby (9.83%), Knoxfield (8.28%), Wantirna South (8.2%), Lysterfield (7.92%) and Rowville (7.14%), whose homes all rose above the Knox average.
Other suburbs recorded more modest growth, including in Sassafras (5.73%, noting this only includes 14 properties), Ferntree Gully (5.19%), Bayswater (3.6%), Boronia (3.16%), The Basin (2.32%) and Upper Ferntree Gully (2.22%).
