The City of Gosnells has adopted its 2025/2026 budget, approving a 3.9 percent rate increase despite direct appeal from a local resident urging councillors to find savings and lower the increase.
The decision was made at a Special Council Meeting on Tuesday night, with Mayor Teresa Lynes saying the budget was designed to balance cost-of-living pressures while maintain key services.
“This Budget sets a clear course toward a greener, more sustainable future that will deliver lasting financial benefits for our community,” she said.
“Our ratepayers have benefited from many consecutive years of lower-than-average rate increases,” Mayor Lynes said.
The City said the new budget includes major investments in parks, infrastructure and sustainability. These include $400,000 to establish a nursery that will grow trees suited for local streets and reserves, and a $767,428 upgrade to Dunnell Park in Maddington, which will feature a living stream.
A further $8.76 million has been allocated toward the next stage of the Langford Indoor Sports Centre project.
The city will also spend $1.5 million upgrading irrigation at Sutherlands Park to improve water and energy efficiency.
More than $1.7 million will go toward duplicating Garden Street from Warton Road to Harpenden Street and extending it to Holmes Street in Huntingdale. An additional $1.54 million will fund an extension to the Gosnells Bowling Club.
Support remains available for residents experiencing difficulty paying their rates.
However, local resident Leon Walker believes the increase is too high.
He said more could have been done to reduce costs.
“I was prompted to write a submission because I understand the plight of ratepayers, both domestic and commercial, who are struggling at the margin,” he said.
“A rate of 3.9 percent is too much. Some ratepayers will not be able to pay the increase without cutting back on necessities.”
Mr Walker urged councillors to send the report back to staff to identify savings and bring the increase closer to three percent, arguing that a reduction of about $850, 000 in expenditure could achieve this.
He also said the process lacked transparency and community input.
“I don’t believe there has been adequate information provided nor adequate consultation,” he said.
The city confirmed it received six submissions in response to the public notice on differential rates. Mr Walker’s submission was not included in the report to Council because it addressed the size of the increase, which was not the purpose of the notice.
“It is reasonable to assume that ratepayers would like rate increases kept as low as possible,” Mayor Lynes said.
She added that the city had explored ways to reduce costs, but was also affected by rising contractor and utility charges.
Services funded through the budget include statutory functions like planning, health inspections and animal management, as well as libraries, parks, events and recreational facilities.
When asked about a recent Seven West Media report claiming the rate rise was “locked in” at 3 percent, the city said it had not been contacted by the network and was unaware of the source of that information.
