Mayor Lorna Buchan said the budget aims to strike a careful balance between addressing the growing needs of the community while recognising cost-of-living pressures facing many households.
“Council has been very mindful of the current economic conditions and the pressure many households are under and has worked hard to keep the rate increase as low as possible,” Mayor Buchan said.
“The increase is 4.58%, which equates to approximately $2.34 per week for the average residential property.”
“It is important to highlight that the state’s official land and property information agency, Landgate, has conducted its three-yearly revaluation of all properties in the City. As a result the adjustment to rates will not be consistent across the City, so some ratepayers may see a greater or lesser increase than others, depending on the change to their property’s value.”
Mayor Buchan said as a rapidly growing local government area with a population of approximately 160,000 people, maintaining existing services and assets while meeting the needs of a growing community remains an ongoing challenge.
“This year’s budget includes $144 million in capital expenditure, which will support upgrades to key community assets and deliver projects that will benefit our community now and into the future,” she said.
Major projects included in the 2026/2027 budget are:
- Completion of the Anniversary Park Clubroom Redevelopment, increasing the City’s capacity to support community sport.
- Completion of the Autumn Centre Redevelopment, creating a more functional hub for seniors.
- Commencement of the Safety Bay Foreshore Community Facility, replacing ageing infrastructure with a modern, accessible facility.
- Commencement of Aqua Jetty Stage 2 refurbishment and expansion to cater for the City’s growing population.
- Commencement of works at the Wanliss Street car park, almost doubling capacity and delivering more than 70 new foreshore parking bays
Some of these projects will run over multiple years.
The City offers a range of payment options for ratepayers. For more information about rates, visit Rates FAQs or contact the City on 9528 0333.