“On a knife’s edge”: Knox approves $122.4 million budget in the face of increasing costs

The approval of Knox’s 2025/26 budget during a recent council meeting on June 23 was not a simple box-ticking exercise, with a number of councillors expressing their concerns. After more than 1,100 members of the public shared their thoughts on how the council’s money might be best spent, councillors voted unanimously to approve the budget.

💰 Where is the money going?

The main features of the $122.4 million budget included:

• A $100 pensioner rebate;

• $58 million in capital works, including $10.7 million on renewing and improving local roads, bridges and road infrastructure; $9.2 million to improve sporting pavilions; $4.8 million to improve footpaths and cycling paths; $4.7 million to improve the condition of buildings and early years facilities and community halls; and $1.3 million to renew local playgrounds in Ferntree Gully and Bayswater.

Knox Council also achieved a 73 percent waste diversion from landfill, the third-highest rate in Victoria, after the introduction of its food and garden organics system two years ago.

🪏 Hard work ahead for Knox Council

Speaking during the meeting, Knox councillor Peter Lockwood said despite supporting the budget, he was still “concerned” with the council’s financial wellbeing.

“I personally still see some problems,” he said.

“We are on a knife’s edge, we can’t withstand another shock right now, so we have some work to do.

“At the moment, the hard work is ahead of us.”

Lockwood said the council would need to look at options to save more money and consider a pause on approving new infrastructure projects.

“We may have to bite the bullet and cut some services,” he said.

Despite voting in support of the budget’s adoption, councillor Susan Pearce said she had “reservations” around what the money was spent on.

“I’m concerned about the fact that we haven’t had a chance to look into the services more thoroughly and actually work out what services we need to continue and what services we don’t,” she said.

“We should be looking for what can give our residents the best value and I don’t think we have.”

Pearce said she was also anxious around the fact employee costs continued to increase beyond the three percent rate cap.

“We haven’t gone far enough,” she said.

👀 A positive outlook

Deputy mayor Glen Atwell said the budget was a “transitional” one, showing input from both the former council and the current team.

“Our financial position is a careful one,” he said.

“I think this is a realistic and responsible budget.”

To view the current budget, visit Knox Council’s website.

Image Credit: Karen Laårk Boshoff