Have your say on the Draft Budget and Draft Revenue and Rating Plan

Council invites you to have your say on our draft Draft 2025-26 Budget Report and Draft 2025-2029 Revenue and Rating Plan.

You can download the draft documents and share your feedback via the links below.

You can also view hard copies of the documents in-person at Council office, 1 Merrijig Drive, Torquay, or to access a hard copy of the draft documents or a submissions form, please call us on 5261 0600 or lodge a request.

We welcome your feedback on both draft documents, by 10am, Monday 26 May.

The draft budget features investment in a range of new and renewed facilities, planning for future liveability, and a strong focus on core services.

It has been developed against a backdrop of rising costs and financial pressures being felt by communities and local governments across the country.

We’re striving to achieve a balance between helping this beautiful region to thrive and ensuring financial sustainability.

In consideration of these factors, we’ve delivered a financially responsible budget with a forecast Unallocated Cash Surplus of $2.2 million. This surplus is essential to set us up for a sustainable future.

Record capital works investment

We’re planning to deliver a record $64.25 million capital works program, with new funding of $15.11 million. This will see us build or renew community buildings, facilities, parks, playgrounds, roads and footpaths across the shire.

You’ll find highlights on this page and a full list in the draft budget document.

Focus on core community services

There are a broad range of services we take pride in delivering to the community day-to-day and the budget invests in each of these areas.

This includes open space and road maintenance, which tops $14 million, waste and recycling collection and processing, and critical services such as children and families support, early years, and animal management, among many others.

We’ll continue to provide recreation and leisure facilities, including a full season of operating the Winchelsea pool, plus the Winchelsea Health Club and Torquay’s Wurdi Baierr Stadium, and of course supporting the many highly valued sport and recreation facilities in each town.

Given our shire has some of the most bushfire prone townships in Victoria and extreme fire danger days are becoming more frequent, our strong year-round focus on emergency management and preparation will also continue to be a high priority.

Moving towards a new Council Plan
This is the final budget under our 2021-2025 Council Plan, and will transition us into a new four-year Council Plan set to feature a refreshed set of strategic priorities.

The Revenue and Rating Plan determines the most appropriate, equitable and affordable way for Council to generate revenue to fund its services and activities.

Strategy for setting rates
Rates are Council’s major source of revenue and the plan sets the rating structure for the Council. This includes the different types of rates and how they are priced in comparison to each other.

The Revenue and Rating Plan does not influence the total amount of revenue to be raised (this is determined via the budget), only the share of revenue contributed by each property.

Under the draft plan, Council will continue using different types of rates (a differential rating strategy). This allows Council flexibility in shifting the rate burden to achieve fairness and equity.

This is done by setting a ‘level of rate’ for each rating type, which is then used to calculate rates payable for individual properties according to their value.

Under the draft plan, Council will continue to have three types of rates, each with a different ‘level of rate’ (shown in brackets):

• General rates (100 per cent)
• Farm rates (75 per cent of general rate)
• Commercial/Industrial rates (190 per cent of general rate)
  
  

In short, farm rates are set lower than general rates, while commercial/Industrial rates are higher. The draft plan does not propose to change our rating differential strategy over the next four years.

How is the ‘level of rate’ decided?
Farm rates are set at a level that aims to ensure Council can generate enough revenue to deliver its services, while maintaining agriculture as a major industry in the shire.

Commercial and Industrial rates are set at a level that acknowledges these properties generate profit, while ensuring the shire remains an appealing location for business investment in line with Council’s economic development goals. Rates are tax deductable for Commercial/Industrial properties.

A portion of Council’s revenue goes directly toward supporting local business, including tourism marketing, business support programs and projects, event attraction and support, and visitor servicing.

Additional charges
Under the Revenue and Rating Plan, all ratable properties are also subject to two optional charges allowable under the Local Government Act: a Municipal Charge and a Waste Service Charge.

Setting a Municipal Charge as a flat fee for all property types allows Council to cover some of its administrative costs. This is based upon a principle of recovering a fixed cost for administrative services for all properties, which is seen as equitable.

Under the draft plan, the Municipal Charge will not exceed 10 per cent of Council’s total rates revenue.

The Municipal Charge is included in the calculation of the rate cap, while the Waste Service Charge is not.

‘User pays’ fees and charges

The draft Revenue and Rating Plan also sets out a ‘user pays’ strategy for specific Council services.

These include:

• Infrastructure (such as permits for stormwater connection or vehicle crossings)
• Waste (such as gate fees for different types of waste and fees for larger or additional kerbside bins)
• Facilities (such as hire fees for community halls and sporting facilities, or entrance fees for Council facilities such as Winchelsea Pool)
• Planning and Compliance (such as pet registration and business registration fees)

The draft plan states that user fees and charges are to be reviewed annually and listed in each year’s budget for community review.

Feedback welcome

Your feedback on the draft Revenue and Rating Plan is welcome via the submissions process.

Rates are Council’s largest revenue source. The proposed total average rate rise of 3 per cent is in line with Victorian Government cap, and will help us cover the rising cost of delivering our services and projects.

Waste service charges:

• $515: Urban Waste Service Charge
• $489: Rural Waste Service Charge

The waste service charge does not sit within the rate cap and is additional to rates payable. It covers the rising costs of kerbside collections, waste disposal, recycling processing, public litter management, and the operation of our resource recovery centres and the Anglesea landfill.

The charge has been impacted this year by a 28 per cent increase in the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria waste levy. This money is collected by the Victorian Government.

To help us remain financially sustainable, many of our services are charged on a ‘user pays’ basis.

All fees and charges have been listed in the draft budget for the community’s review (Appendix A, from page 89).

Historically, our fees and charges have not kept pace with inflation. In some areas we have needed to address this by lifting fees to better align with the rising cost of operating our services.

All fees and charges have been reviewed with consideration of service costs, market competitors and local government benchmarking.

Fees and charges frozen at 2024-25 levels include:

• Australian National Surfing Museum entry fees
• Replacement kitchen caddy for FOGO material
• Statutory Planning advertising of applications and subsequent letters

Areas with the highest increases, updated to reflect actual costs to Council (impacted by Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria waste levy increases), include:

• Upgrades to larger or additional kerbside bins
• Disposal of waste materials including truck and 4WD tyres, mattresses, commercial garbage and construction/demolition waste

Proposed new fees and charges include:

• Electric vehicle charging and idle fee, Civic Centre EV chargers in Torquay: $0.20/kWh charging fee, $1 per minute idle fee. (Previously no fee for these chargers.)
• Place of Public Entertainment – Commercial Event permits: fees varying based on number of attendees

We understand many people in our community are struggling under cost of living pressures.

Our Hardship Policy is in place to support ratepayers experiencing financial duress.

For a confidential discussion about your circumstances and potential options available, please email info@surfcoast.vic.gov.au or call 03 5261 0600 and ask to speak with a member of Council's Revenue department.