Council proposes wide-ranging local support package in 2025-26 Budget

Published on 22 May 2025

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Frankston City Council is proposing a ‘Local Support Package’ as part of its 2025-2026 Annual Budget, aimed at supporting our community through the ongoing challenges of rising living costs.

Over $1.4 million has been earmarked by Council for the local support package, and key community initiatives, which range from grants for local agencies for food relief to a pause in some Council service fees and charges.  

Mayor Kris Bolam acknowledged that “times are tough” for pensioners, families, students and people on single incomes. Mayor Bolam said: “This Council has carefully looked through this budget, and by identifying savings and making appropriate budgetary efficiencies, it has been able to create an innovative support package that will assist residents and ratepayers in what is arguably an inflationary economic environment”.  

Council’s response to the cost-of-living crisis comes after extensive community engagement and new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing all household types continuing to experience rising living costs in the March 2025 quarter*.

Frankston City already has a higher percentage of low-income households than the metropolitan average, with record numbers of households seeking help from emergency relief providers.

For almost 18 months, Council has been working closely with the community to shape our Community Vision, Council Plan, and the 2025–2026 Annual Budget. One of the messages that came through very clearly is our community wants to ensure support is there for those who need it.

In recognition of this, and as part of the Local Support Package, Council is reviewing its Financial Hardship Policy to ensure greater accessibility for residents that are in need of support. This includes flexible payment options, interest-free payment plans, access to the national debt helpline and free financial counselling services.

In the past year, Council has introduced several initiatives providing support in the community, including the introduction of free student social workers in the Library, the Community Connectors partnership in the Young Street/CBD precinct while also successfully advocating for over $59 million dollars in federal funding at the recent Federal Election.

In addition, Council has also continued to invest in community infrastructure spending such as the recent award of the $60 million contract for the Frankston Stadium – to date, the largest capital works project undertaken by Frankston City Council.  

Through the local support package, programs like these will continue to expand and reach more members of our community. 

New key initiatives that will form the Local Support Package include:  

  • A discount voucher program for all ratepayers that substantially reduces the cost of access to community facilities;  
  • The suspension of eleven wide-ranging service charges for residential and commercial residents;  
  • Free access to legal services for residents facing rental stress and the threat of homelessness; 
  • A subsidy program to assist vulnerable residents afford annual memberships to local community organisations and sporting clubs;
  • A blanket twelve-month pet registration fee freeze; 
  • Grant support for local students who risk falling behind in their studies due to cost-of-living challenges; 
  • Capability-building support for local businesses to help them upskill how they do business in an ever-evolving entrepreneurial climate; 
  • Lower commercial and residential rate increases that are below the state-imposed cap of three percent; 
  • Considerable one-off funding support to Community Support Frankston to assist Frankston residents who are struggling; 
  • A significant number of charitable and not-for-profit organisations to receive funding support to help assist residents in severe financial distress; and  
  • Seed funding to establish a centralised food storage centre for the streamlined distribution of food and perishables to local relief organisations and emergency shelters.  

Each Council budget requires a careful balancing act, and it is through strong financial management that Councillors have been able to propose this local support package without reducing vital community services and infrastructure expenditure.

“Frankston City Council has a proud history of stepping up in times of crisis, as we saw during the COVID era when Council executed a bold assistance package to get our community through the pandemic,” he said. “This year’s Budget brings together an extensive suite of initiatives that seek to help all sections of the Frankston City municipality, while maintaining the essential services our community relies on, and continuing to deliver major infrastructure projects.” 

Councillors will vote on next year’s budget at the 23 June Council meeting.

 

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