Bayswater Council has adopted a financially responsible budget focused on service delivery and asset renewal.
Mayor Filomena Piffaretti said the 2026/27 Budget reflected Council’s commitment to delivering services to the community while maintaining a strong financial position.
“On behalf of Council, I am proud to deliver a budget that provides the services people rely on and maintains the assets we use every day,” she said.
“This is a budget that will enable our City to continue to grow, develop and thrive. It is also a budget that brings people together and puts the community at the heart of what we do.
“This budget ensures the City will remain financially sustainable now and into the future, and delivers good outcomes for the community.
“In developing this year’s budget, Council has maintained its strategy of aligning rate increases with CPI plus 1%.
“1% of rates will be put into reserves to maintain and renew our $1.2 billion assets for future generations.
“Improved residential and commercial property owners will see their rates increase by an average of 4.54% while vacant landowners who have benefited from increasing property prices but have not contributed to the amenity or vibrancy of the area, will pay more.
“On average, this equates to an increase of $1.34 per week for residential (improved) property owners. Although this may vary due to the revaluation of properties this year.
“The City will continue to support our more than 150 local community and sporting clubs by providing clubrooms and facilities.
“This year, more than $750,000 will be spent on the renewal of sportsgrounds, including the replacement of cricket practice nets at Grand Promenade Reserve and wickets at various grounds. The popular vert ramp at the much-loved City of Bayswater Skate Park will be resurfaced. Soccer goals will be replaced at Elstead and Frank Drago Reserves. Floodlights will be renewed at Lower Hillcrest Reserve and lamps replaced at Lightning Park.
“Play equipment will be replaced at six parks across the City at a cost of $460,000. This includes Tom Cameron Park and Kanimbla Reserve in Morley, Lightning Park in Noranda, the Foreshore Reserve and Plowmans Park in Maylands, and Brown’s Lake Reserve in Bedford.
“This budget also funds $2.3 million dollars for trees to be planted on verges and in parks and natural areas across our City. This builds on our record tree planting program, which has seen more than 10,000 trees planted over the past three years and contributes to a greener, cooler City.
“$1.1 million will also be spent on the extension and upgrade of the City’s footpath network to improve connectivity and access to facilities, supporting people to walk and cycle within our community.”
Further 2026/27 Budget highlights
- $10.45 million will be spent on maintaining our more than 190 buildings for the community to use, including the City’s three libraries, the Bayswater and Morley Community Centres, The RISE, Bayswater Waves, and Morley Sport and Recreation Centre.
- The City will improve the safety and accessibility of its road network in the Maylands Peninsula precinct, as part of the State-funded Low-Cost Urban Road Safety program.
- $220,000 will be spent on additional furniture, signage, fencing and bins, so the community can continue to enjoy local parks.
- $168,500 in grant funding to businesses and environmental, sporting and community groups. These grants will provide accessibility upgrades to community facilities, make our City a better place to live and support events that bring people together.
- $100,000 will go towards planting trees on hard-surfaced median strips.
The City’s annual budget was adopted alongside its Corporate Business Plan 2026/27 – 2029/30, which sets out the services, projects and initiatives to be delivered over the next four years in line with the City’s Strategic Community Plan 2025 – 2035.
The City’s Long-Term Financial Plan 2026/27 – 2035/36 was also formally endorsed by Council at its July meeting.