At the Council Meeting on Tuesday 16 June 2026, Council adopted the 2026-27 Budget and Long-Term Financial Plan.

Project background

Every year we develop a Budget that outlines funding for the next financial year and how it will benefit Yarra's community.   

This year we’ve planned a responsible budget with no new borrowings and continued debt reduction.

Between Friday 17 April and Friday 17 May 2026 we asked you to provide feedback on our draft Budget 2026/27 and draft Long-term Financial Plan.

What we heard and how it influenced the final document

Community feedback highlighted how much residents value waterways, green spaces, safety, and essential services.

In response, the final Budget includes extra funding for local groups, environmental care, emergency response, and practical neighbourhood improvements, including:

• $16,000 to support homework club delivery in Fitzroy and Collingwood,
  
• $10,000 additional funding for Heidelberg State Emergency Service (SES) to support local emergency response capacity; and
  
• $4,188 additional funding of the Merri Creek Management Committee, supporting ongoing environmental management and community programs.
  
• $75,000 for the design of traffic and pedestrian safety improvements across Clifton Hill and Abbotsford (Yambla/Ramsden Streets slow point, The Esplanade crossing, and Lulie Street crossing);
  
• $25,000 for drainage improvements at Smith Reserve, Fitzroy; and
• $20,000 to continue the pole‑mounted electric vehicle charging trial.

What happens next?

At the Council Meeting held on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, Council formally adopted the Budget 2026/27 and Long-Term Financial Plan.

This year's Budget focuses on investing where it matters – within the rate cap, while supporting the community and maintaining long-term financial discipline.

The Budget delivers a major capital works program of $40.3 million while keeping rates within the rate cap of 2.75%.

It also puts more than $6.7 million into road renewals, footpaths, kerb and laneway works, more than $1.6 million into cycle infrastructure, and close to $1.3 million into road safety.

Other Budget highlights include:

• $9.3 million for new and improved open space

• $4.2 million for stormwater and drainage improvements.

• Continuing the electrification and upgrade of Collingwood Leisure Centre

• Progressing the Richmond Library redevelopment planning

• Renewing equipment across our leisure centres; and

• Designing upgrades for the Alphington Bowls Club and other key facilities.
  

The Budget 2026/27 will be available on our website shortly, in the meantime you can read the Council Meeting Report here.

Visit the project page

To read more about this consultation please visit the Budget 2026/27 Your Say Yarra page.