FRANKSTON Council has passed their annual budget for the 2020/2021 financial year.
Rates will rise by an average of 2 per cent in the next year. Frankston Council projects a $9.92 million surplus in the budget, down from the previous year’s projection of $22.09 million.
The budget contains nearly $60 million worth of capital works projects. They include works at RF Miles Reserve, Jubilee Park, Centenary Park, Belvedere Bowls Club, and the Frankston Yacht Club building.
Nearly $25 million will be spent by council on infrastructure maintenance in the next financial year.
The mayor Sandra Mayer said “our precious open spaces, including parks and streetscapes will also continue to flourish with $7.05 million committed to their preservation and enhancement. Additionally, Kananook Creek will be enhanced, thanks to $536,000 in funding for the redevelopment of the arboretum, and the Frankston BMX track will remain a treasure of our city’s youth thanks to a $502,000 redevelopment.”
“We declared a climate emergency late last year and will keep delivering projects and planning for a future with reduced emissions and a thriving environment in Frankston City. This includes the Urban Forest Action Plan which will guide us over the next two decades to transform the urban forest into a highly valued, well resourced and thriving asset,” she said.
“My fellow councillors and I will continue to advocate to both state and federal governments for further funding to deliver even more local and regionally beneficial projects.”
The approved budget also made the $6.34 million package to help residents affected by the coronavirus pandemic official. Among the measures approved as part of the COVID-19 relief package was making parking in council owned and managed city centre off-street car parks free for up to two hours.
As part of the COVID-19 relief package, a grant has already been handed to local charity Community Support Frankston. CSF manager Steve Phillips said “we have managed to stay connected with chronically disadvantaged people and new faces who had needed to reach out for the first time.”
“A minor renovation enabled us to maintain the service. The new space has allowed us a safe area to keep providing face-to-face assistance to, including hot and nutritious takeaway meals, between 12 and 2pm daily. We have also been working with Meals on Wheels and other local businesses to provide gluten free, vegan and vegetarian meal options,” he said.
Council had initially approved a COVID-19 relief package worth $3.37 million, but agreed to expand it at a meeting in May (“Expanded virus relief package approved”, The Times, 18/5/20). The budget revealed that the extra funding was sourced through “deployments of existing staff, repurposed grants” and the deferment of capital works projects.
“The lives of many of our residents have been turned upside-down by the COVID-19 crisis and our budget prioritises projects which will help them overcome its challenges,” Cr Mayer said.
“Council understands it has a responsibility to support its community, and we will carry on identifying ways to empower and help residents remain resilient through this difficult time. One way we are doing this, is by extending our grants programs to give our local businesses the best possible foundation for reopening as social distancing restrictions are lifted.
“Although some projects have been necessarily deferred, they have not been cancelled. We are committed to delivering them as soon as we possibly can.”