Casey City has long been recognised as one of the fastest growing council areas in the country, and the second-fastest growing in Victoria.
Over the next 20 years, the already large population – estimated at near 430,000 in 2025 – is expected to swell to around 615,000, with a good slice of that expected to settle around Clyde and Clyde North.
Its phenomenal growth is reflected in its recently released budget reports, with revenue also heading north, from around $720 million to an expected $930 million over the next decade.
On the spending side, roads and rubbish, facilities in new estates and upgrades in existing areas, council services and operations consume almost all; some $540 million this year rising to over $700 million over the next decade.
On paper, this means surpluses hovering around $180 million for the next few years, jumping to around $230 million in a decade.
But the city’s forward budget reports show how delicately balanced the budget position is.
While those earlier revenue and expenditure figures are eye watering, the financial statements show city’s finances actually ran an underlying deficit of over $10 million this year.
Projections show modest surpluses in the near future, but the margins remain thin.
Rate capping at 3 per cent by the State Government limits revenue from householders, but inflation – currently at 3.8 per cent – means costs are outstripping income, with many local government cost categories increasing higher than CPI.
This puts the council in the position of having to make tough decisions about what to include in its works budget each year, and what to defer.
In the coming year’s capital works budget of $124 million, just over half will be spent on new facilities – the rest on revamps and upgrades to existing facilities.
State and Federal grants bolster Casey’s bottom line, but are unknown from year to year, dependent on shifting priorities of the government of the day and are usually tied to specific projects.
The financial forecasts hope for increasing grant receipts, rising from $106 million to $126 Million in the decade ahead.
Fees, fines and charges, and other income forms maintain the tight balance.
Staff numbers are expected to fall from 1421 (full time equivalent) to 1298 in the next two years and remain at that level for the rest of the decade, but the wages bill will still rise from the current level of $150 million to $186 million over that time; and external contracts from $125 million to $186 million.
Casey is investing in technologies and a new customer service model to help ensure that Casey communities will not feel that pinch.
Casey’s councillors and officers have committed to an ambitious program of works and priority areas over the next five years, based around transport, community safety, health and wellbeing initiatives, arts and events, sports, sustainability and a thriving business community.
The council will also advocate to all levels of government for the services and facilities – and grants – the city deserves to become and remain a diverse, healthy, welcoming, innovative and resilient destination for families, professionals and enterprises into the future.
Casey’s nowhere near done with its growth spurt, but the shape and extent of that growth will depend on a careful balance of community vision and bean counting well into the future.
