Some of our services are closed or have different hours over Easter, from Friday 29 March to Monday 1 April.

Operations and our performance

Economic factors

Boroondara is facing external factors which are increasing cost pressures on Council services and facilities, while also facing the need to maintain assets appropriately. External economic factors include:

  • inflation rising rapidly
  • post COVID-19 recovery
  • cost escalation in the construction industry caused by COVID-19, extreme weather events, labour shortages, fuel prices, freight cost, war in Ukraine, insurance premiums and other factors
  • the slow return of patrons to our Leisure and Aquatic facilities after past lock down periods
  • the reduction of the traditional backyard across areas of the municipality increasing the demand by residents on our open space, parks, and sporting facilities.

Despite these external factors, rising interest rates will support increased investment income returns for our cash holdings while our fixed interest rate loans provide repayment certainty for the future term of the loans.

In summary, we are facing external factors which are increasing cost pressures on our services and facilities, while facing the need to maintain assets appropriately. Our capacity to meet these obligations is challenged by the State Government imposed cap on revenue; a cap the state does not apply to itself.

Major projects

Our major projects for FY2021-22 include:

  • the Kew Recreation Centre redevelopment ($68 million over 4 years)
  • the Canterbury Community Precinct ($11.3 million)
  • the Michael Tuck Stand Feasibility Study ($160k in FY2021-22).

Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic

Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic also influenced our operations, including:

  • providing a Coronavirus support hotline and website support
  • coordinating with community organisations providing support
  • maintaining our services during the pandemic
  • making parking modifications during the pandemic
  • supporting local businesses and community groups
  • moving activities and events online
  • facilitating and encouraging the importance of safe community connections
  • providing support for the local volunteer sector.

Our performance against priority themes

The Boroondara Community Plan 2021–31 (the Plan) outlines 7 themes our community told us were important in 2017. In 2020-21, our community told us these themes still represent what they want us to focus on over the next 10 years.

Our performance is reported against each of the 7 priority themes on the following pages.