City of Parramatta Council has endorsed a plan to invest more than half a billion dollars across the local government area as part of its 2025/26 Budget.
The Council says more than $572 million will injected into the community, including on hundreds of local projects in the city and suburbs.
The projects earmarked for funding include new amenities at Winston Hills’ Max Ruddock Reserve, roundabouts for safer roads in Parramatta, Toongabbie and North Rocks and essential upgrades of the Bennelong Parkway bridge at Wentworth Point.
Following calls from the community, Council is also investing in a suite of environmental measures including identifying more heat mitigation solutions, real time water monitoring technologies, preparing a resilience strategy for natural disasters and providing more shade by planting more trees.
This comes as Council anticipates an operational surplus in the 2025/26 financial year of $1 million.
Lord Mayor, Martin Zaiter said the budget measures were crucial to fulfil the commitments within Council’s long term 2025-29 Delivery Program and Operational Plan (DPOP).
“This is a responsible and robust budget as Council continues to work towards servicing a rapidly growing population expected to reach over 450,000 by 2050, while maintaining our existing community assets,” Lord Mayor Zaiter said.
“We are making investments in the big projects as we grow into a Global city, whilst also delivering the local services and facilities the community needs, ranging from roads, footpaths and parks through to childcare centres, libraries, community facilities, events and environmental initiatives.
“We’ve listened to what matters most to our residents, businesses and local organisations through the latest community consultation on the draft DPOP and Budget 2025/26 to ensure we’re focused on delivering what our community needs.
“Key connections and community infrastructure are at the heart of this budget – whether it’s a roundabout on a local road, cycle path to help connect residents and keep them active or a big-ticket item such as the refurbishment of a community centre or refreshed town centres in Epping and Granville, we are committed to ensuring the City’s transformation to a global City reaches our suburbs.”
The Lord Mayor said the rise in cost of living has equally guided decisions when it comes to fees and charges.
“City of Parramatta is one of only few Councils to grant a voluntary rate rebate of $100 for eligible pensioners in addition to the mandatory rebate of $250 provided by all NSW councils.”
“This approach is fair and reasonable and takes some extra pressure off those in our community feeling the pinch from rising costs of living.
“We are also reducing hiring fees for parts of Parramatta Town Hall to make the venue more competitive and encourage both the community and commercial sector to come in and host their special event in this historic space.
“Even our parks and gardens now have reduced costs on deposit bonds and the cost of group personal training sessions at PAC is cheaper – we are committed to delivering for our community at the most cost-effective rate,” he said.
Around $200 million will be spent on Council’s big ticket capital works such as Parramatta’s grand pedestrian boulevard, Civic Link (Block 3), improved cycleway connections to and from the CBD and the completion of Yarra Community Centre in Lidcombe.
Council has also accepted the recommended 6.2% rates peg by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for residential and business ratepayers, which has been coupled with careful financial management to ensure Council can deliver on all its programs and services, the Lord. Mayor said.
To find out more about the 2025-29 Delivery Program and Operational Plan (DPOP) click here.
