Council provides a broad range of services ranging from libraries, family and children’s services, traffic regulation, open space, youth facilities, waste management and community strengthening; to business development, planning for appropriate development and ensuring accountability of Council’s budget. These services and community infrastructure, support the wellbeing and prosperity of our community.
Economic factors
Council continues to operate in a complex and evolving economic and policy environment. Inflationary pressures, rising construction costs and increased service demands continue to place a strain on Council’s financial resources. The cost of delivering infrastructure and services continues to grow, while revenue remains constrained under the Victorian Government’s rate capping framework. Residents are experiencing higher living costs, affecting household budgets and discretionary spending. This trend has implications for local businesses and community services, which may see changes in demand and operational costs.
Boroondara’s strong financial management has delivered a positive year-end result, enabling Council to continue addressing the ongoing requirement for asset renewal and ensuring facilities meet the evolving needs of the community.
Population growth and housing affordability remain pressing issues for Boroondara and other Victorian councils. The Victorian Government’s planning reforms, set ambitious targets to deliver over 2.2 million new homes by 2051, with a strong focus on high-density development in key areas such as Camberwell Junction. These reforms prioritise housing delivery in locations with access to jobs, transport and essential services, but have significantly reduced Council’s role in planning decisions and limited opportunities for community input. The reforms also fail to guarantee the infrastructure investment needed to support growing populations, placing increased pressure on Council’s open space, parks, sporting facilities, transport networks, schools, healthcare and community services.
Digital transformation is another key factor shaping the future of local government. Councils are expected to adopt smart technologies and integrate artificial intelligence (AI) to improve service efficiency and responsiveness. While these innovations offer significant potential, they also present challenges related to implementation costs, cybersecurity risks and workforce capability.
Climate change and environmental sustainability are increasingly influencing Council’s operations and strategic planning. Rising temperatures, more frequent extreme weather events and biodiversity loss are driving the need for long-term investment in resilient infrastructure, sustainable urban design and greening initiatives. A key challenge ahead will be maintaining Boroondara’s high standard of environmental quality, liveability and heritage character in the face of climate impacts, water scarcity, increased pollution and growing population densities.
In summary, Boroondara continues to face a range of external economic and policy challenges that are increasing cost pressures and limiting revenue flexibility. Council remains committed to prudent financial management to ensure the sustainability of services and infrastructure for the community. Council’s capacity to meet these obligations is challenged by the Victorian State Government’s imposed cap on revenue, a cap the state does not apply to itself.
Major projects
Our major projects included:
- Kew Recreation Centre redevelopment ($728k in FY2024-25)
- Tuck Stand ($1.54 million in FY2024-25)
- Kew Library Redevelopment ($305k in FY2024-25).
Performance by priority themes
The Boroondara Community Plan 2021–31 outlines 7 themes our community told us were important in 2017. In 2021, our community told us these themes still represent what they want us to focus on over the next 10 years.
Highlights of our FY2024-25 performance are on the following pages.