West Tamar Council adopted its 2025-26 annual budget at its ordinary June Council meeting on Tuesday.
The budget, described by Mayor Christina Holmdahl as striking the perfect balance between financial responsibility and delivering a range of exciting projects for the community, includes a rates increase of 4.3 per cent for the upcoming financial year.
Importantly, Mayor Holmdahl said the budget includes an impressive $17.2 million capital works spend, as well as an underlying surplus of $110,000.
“Throughout our budget conversations leading up to today’s meeting, Councillors and staff have genuinely attempted to minimise the impacts as much as reasonably possible to our ratepayers,” Mayor Holmdahl said.
“The reality is, costs continue to increase not only for households but council as well – that’s simply the reality of the economic situation we find ourselves in.
“However, all the Councillors believe this is an excellent outcome as we try to juggle those rising costs as well as continuing to deliver quality and necessary services as well as community-focussed projects and initiatives to the municipality.
“Ultimately, ratepayers will see – on average – a $1.65 per week increase and we believe that’s a fair and reasonable outcome.”
The headline figure for the 2025-26 budget includes a significant spend on capital works, including a $5 million federal government grant to build a four-court indoor basketball facility at Legana.
At a glance, the capital expenditure includes:
- $325,000 for bridges
- $455,000 for footpaths
- $1.44 million for urban streets
- $2.335 million for rural roads
- $655,000 for stormwater improvements, and
- $10.9 million for community, recreation, parks and reserves.
Significant projects include:
- $5 million for the Legana Basketball and Community Centre (federal funding)
- $1.5 million for the resurfacing of Olympic Oval 2 at Windsor Park
- $1.15 million for continued works on the Gravelly Beach Foreshore Project (federal grant)
- $720,000 for roadworks, footpaths and kerb and channelling in Pitt Avenue in Riverside
- $375,000 for roadworks on Rosevears Drive – from Brady’s Lookout Rd north
- $375,000 for roadworks at Rosevears – Brady’s Lookout Rd
- $305,000 for the Kelso toilet and carpark (part grant funded)
- $300,000 for road reconstruction on Notley Hills Rd
- $300,000 for a playground at the Legana Orchard Estate
- $300,000 for Legana Grove Open Space Design
- $300,000 for future recreational developments at Legana
- $300,000 for capital maintenance at the Riverside Swimming Centre
Mayor Holmdahl reminded ratepayers that the Council had a Financial Hardship Assistance Policy, which was developed to assist ratepayers who were suffering genuine financial hardship.
“As a Council, we can enter into payment arrangements with property owners and I would encourage anyone who is facing genuine difficulties paying their rates instalment to contact Council,” Mayor Holmdahl said.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Council also adopted its new fees and charges for 2025-26, which now includes the option for lifetime dog registrations.