Annual Plan & Budget
The 2026-2027 Annual Plan and Budget was approved by Council at a special meeting on Tuesday 23 June with an average rate increase of 3.9%.
We work out our rate increases based upon what it costs us to provide our services, maintain and renew our current infrastructure, build new infrastructure and, finance the higher depreciation associated with increasing the value of our assets. We work hard to be financially sustainable and work within our means, and we’ve done our best to keep rate increases to a minimum for our community.
There are several factors in this year’s budget that will impact your rates. These come from inflationary increases that impact all aspects of our operations, in addition to the ongoing cost impacts to the supply of goods, materials and fuel, plus impacts of reduced TasWater dividends to owner Councils.
Waste Management charges for this year are increasingly slightly due to the introduction of FOGO and the State Government’s final staged increase to the Landfill Levy. In real terms, the average household cost increase for rubbish, recycling, FOGO and Community Waste Levy is around 70 cents per week.
Our capital budget for 2026-2027 provides funding for our core services, maintenance of our existing assets and new infrastructure growth. This budget commits $15.05 million for the asset renewal and new/upgrade projects.
Some of the key projects we will be undertaking as part of our Annual Plan in this financial year include:
- Building new playgrounds at Midway Point and Primrose Sands, plus installation of shelter at Sweetwater Park.
- LED lighting upgrades to Dodges Ferry Recreation Ground and Pembroke Park soccer pitch.
- Development of a Coastal Access Plan for the Southern Beaches.
- Provision of seating, tables and shelter at Samuel Thorne Reserve, Dodges Ferry Boat Ramp foreshore, and Primrose Sands Beach southern carpark.
- Construction of a gravel pathway along the Arthur Highway in Dunalley.
- Construction of the multi-purpose Makers Workshop and Community Precinct in Sorell.
- Finalisation of the Southern Beaches Plan.
- Upgrading the footpath on Primrose Sands Road between Tamarix Road and the RSL.
- Continuation of the Responsible Cat Ownership campaign in Dodges Ferry in collaboration with TenLives.
- Construction of a new footpath linking Provence Drive to Carlton Beach Road.
- Development of an Access and Inclusion Advisory Group, in collaboration with Mission Australia.
A full list of our Capital Works projects can be found on our website here.