Frankston Council seeks community input for 2025-26 Budget priorities

Published on 23 December 2024

Frankston City Council is reaching out to our community to help us shape the key priorities for the 2025-2026 Budget, with submissions later this month.

Unlike previous years, Councillors have chosen to engage the community much earlier in the budget cycle, allowing more time to prioritise community feedback and take a whole-of-municipality view.

Throughout 2024, Council has been engaging on our key strategic documents including the Community Vision 2040, the Long-Term Financial Plan and the Asset Plan, each of which is fundamental in the drafting of the Council and Wellbeing Plan 2025–2029 and the 2025-2026 Budget.

Over 1,300 Frankston City residents shared their views during this process, highlighting priorities such as enhancing city safety, supporting vulnerable populations, expanding open spaces for recreation, and improving safe and connected public transport.

Council is now inviting additional input for consideration that addresses community needs, aligns with previously identified priorities, and benefits as many people as possible across Frankston.

Frankston City Mayor Kris Bolam said this was the most comprehensive community engagement process ever undertaken by Council for its Annual Budget.

“In the past 12 months, we have engaged with so many people in our community at pop-ups, through surveys, and other channels, including our community panel, which worked with us for several months,” he said.

“The information we’ve collected from the community will be invaluable as we progress through our planning as a Council. This new group of Councillors is committed to rigorous community engagement to inform our decisions.

“For this Annual Budget we are taking things a step further and seeking more input from the community to help identify priorities for the Council to consider.

“I look forward to hearing the community’s thoughts and ideas to help us benefit our growing community here in Frankton City.”

Once the community engagement process is complete, Council will finalise decisions on the priorities for the Budget 2025-2026 Budget. Additional engagement on the Council and Wellbeing Plan 2025 – 2029 will take place in the second quarter of 2025.

Have your say by completing the survey on Engage Frankston, open from 20 January until 20 February, or by attending a special Council meeting on Monday 24 February. Surveys can also be downloaded and emailed or hand delivered to Council any time before 20 February.

For more information, visit www.engage.frankston.vic.gov.au.