FUNDS for disaster response measures will be quarantined by Frankston Council in future budgets. Three major storm events in the last four years have required significant Frankston Council spending. It spent $100,000 during June 2021, $50,000 in February 2024, and $100,000 in August 2024. The 2025/2026 council budget does not feature a dedicated budget allocation for disaster response.
Frankston Council officers have been investigating the necessity of a dedicated “emergency disaster fund” this year – the officers ultimately recommended against proceeding with establishing the fund, but Frankston councillors have voted to push ahead.
Cr Emily Green moved the successful amendment to the council officers’ recommendation. Green said “with climate change leading to more frequent and intense weather events, having this fund ready helps us act faster and more efficiently when something does happen.”
“In the past five years we have had three natural events that need funding, each costing between $50,000 and $100,000. I’m suggesting we put $150,000 into a fund in the 2026/2027 budget. It’s mainly for small and medium-scale events but it will also give us a safety net if something bigger does happen,” Green said.
The proposal approved by councillors read that council will “establish an ‘Emergency Disaster Fund’ to respond to small to medium disaster events and provides a meaningful buffer for a major disaster scenario.” $150,000 will be set aside for the fund from the 2026/2027 budget onwards.
“If the Municipal Emergency Management Plan is activated, use of the Emergency Disaster Fund will be approved by the Chief Executive Officer and/or delegated council offer,” the proposal read.
The original recommendation from council officers read that “the municipality has no significant history of natural or manmade disasters requiring substantial financial intervention”. Their proposed motion read that council “recognises that quarantining funds for emergency purposes may detract from the delivery of other essential services and programs” and “notes that emergency response funding continues to be managed through existing budgetary mechanisms and external funding sources where applicable.”
First published in the Frankston Times – 23 September 2025