Frankston City Council has handed down a 2025–26 budget designed to deliver immediate relief for households and businesses while maintaining a strong pipeline of capital works.
In an interview with STPL News, Mayor Kris Bolam explained how the key to this year’s budget was passing on savings directly to the community rather than banking them to deliver residential and commercial rates below the 3% cap.
“It’s essential in this environment where costs are going up and every dollar matters,” Mayor Bolam said.
“People need to see that they’re getting the most out of their budget, so that’s why we not only have kept the rates below the 3% state threshold, but we’ve also been able to create a $1.7 million Local Support Package.”
The Mayor said the outcome was achieved through careful financial management.
“My Council group has worked really hard to make sure we get a positive outcome for our community without cutting services or decreasing infrastructure,” he said.
“We’ve been able to do that through finding operational efficiencies. We’ve also been successful in cancelling a number of projected loans that were due to come into effect.”
Local Support Package and Rate Relief
The $1.7 million Local Support Package will fund relief and assistance programs for residents and community groups. Bolam said this, combined with lower-than-cap residential and commercial rates, meant ratepayers would directly benefit from Council’s budget decisions.
He also highlighted the introduction of a vacant land differential rate, which imposes up to a 300% increase on undeveloped land.
“For vacant pieces of land, if they remain vacant, they receive up to 300% increases in their rate notices,” he said.
“That’s how we’ve been able to pass on some of the positive parts of this budget.”
$73 Million in Capital Works
Alongside rate relief, Council has allocated nearly $73 million for capital works and long-term projects, which Mayor Bolam said reflected Frankston’s growth.
“We’re making that grand transition from town to city and we need to start acting like a city,” he said.
“That’s why there’s been such a massive emphasis this year on infrastructure.”
The largest project is the $60 million Frankston Stadium development, which he described as a landmark investment.
“That will provide a home for the Frankston Basketball Association but also Bayside Gymnastics,” he said. “The amount of jobs, the amount of opportunities for young people that’s going to create once it’s built — it’s going to be astronomical.”
Other initiatives funded include shopping strip upgrades, new playgrounds and improvements to local parks.
