Community consultation

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback

We asked to hear your thoughts on how Council plans to invest in core services, infrastructure, projects and other priorities for the community over the next financial year. Thank you to everyone who took part in the consultation. We received 26 submissions in total and 8 community members provided feedback in-person at a public meeting with councillors.

Community submissions covered a broad range of topics. Key themes related to feedback on climate action, tree protection, biodiversity and the environment.

Community submissions from the previous financial year were also considered in the development of this Budget.

The final Budget was passed unanimously by councillors following this consultation.

In response to community feedback, Council has confirmed its commitment to:

  • ongoing climate action and considering potential funding for biodiversity planting and active transport during the preparation of the 2025-26 Amended Budget
  • supporting Boroondara’s 53 shopping centre precincts, including allocating funding for an enhanced business concierge model
  • future budget consultation.


Further Budget reading

Download the Budget ⤵

You can also download the full Budget – Adopted Budget 2025-26 (PDF 6.5MB)

Below is a summary of what we presented in April 2025 for community feedback on our draft Budget.

What does the Budget do?

The Budget sets out how we allocate money from rates and other revenue to bring community priorities to life in the 2025-26 financial year and over the next 4 years.

It’s guided by what 5,000 community members told us in the Boroondara Community Plan 2021-31. Next year’s Budget will be based entirely on our new Boroondara Community Plan 2025-35, which is currently being developed with focus areas such as protecting the environment through renewable energy, our tree canopy and supporting biodiversity.

Our responsible financial planning ensures Council stays in a good financial position to keep delivering the community’s priorities in this budget. These include:

Preparing our community to be resilient in the face of climate change is a passion in this draft Budget.

Major investments in environmental initiatives for 2025-26 include $3.9 million for the Climate Action Plan, $3 million for the shared path greenways program and $2.55 million for the Tree Canopy Strategy.

We're also proactive about avoiding the effects, so we’ll spend $1.38 million each year avoid flooding by relining our ageing concrete storm drains.

This draft Budget plans to make an impact for children and young people by funding playgrounds, sportsgrounds and early childhood education facilities.

We're building a better tomorrow across 4 years by allocating $7.74 million for playgrounds and $21.63 million for maintaining and upgrading sports grounds.

Our spending is still focused on improving your daily life.

We're better serving our children, families and adults in our diverse and growing population with $9.16 million to upgrade Kew Library and Hawthorn Library.

Programs to support our diverse community also feature. We'll have $125,630 for men’s wellbeing and LGBTQIA+ community activities and $60,000 for accessibility improvements such as ground tactiles and hearing loops at our key community venues.

We're supporting local businesses and enhancing shopping precincts for everyone to enjoy.

We’re making it easier to start, run and grow businesses in Boroondara because we'll be providing more resources for traders through our business concierge service.

We’re creating and upgrading public shopping spaces with the following spend over the next 4 years:

  • $8.90 million for a new public plaza in Camberwell Junction
  • $4.91 million for the Shopping Centre Improvement Program, which includes:
    • $247,575 for North Balwyn Village upgrade investigation and design
    • $150,000 to review our Shopping Centre Improvement Plan 2011 to guide infrastructure improvements and investment across our 53 shopping strips for the next 10 years
  • $6.93 million for stage one of Glenferrie Road streetscape upgrade
  • $1.8 million to upgrade Columbia Street laneway connecting Swinburne University.

Capital works program

Here's a summary of the the projected 2025-26 costs of maintaining the fundamental parts of living in Boroondara – our infrastructure and services:

Upholding and renewing our infrastructure

  • $7 million

    for drainage renewal

  • $2.12 million

    for footpath and cycleway renewal

  • $15.64 million

    on road renewal

  • $15.73 million

    for 9 other community building renewal works

Services

  • $10.98 million

    to provide library services seven days a week

  • $10.41 million

    on health and wellbeing services, including vaccination, youth and recreation services

  • $25.65 million

    for parks and gardens, biodiversity and street trees maintenance

  • $4.49 million

    on arts and cultural services and events

  • $13.53 million

    for planning, development and building controls

  • $14.78 million

    for maintenance of the city’s infrastructure