Yarra City Council is pleased to present its Quarterly Community Report for Quarter Three 2023/24. This report provides a timely, open and transparent overview of the organisation and its activities from January to March 2024.

Released each financial quarter, the report showcases the work Council is doing and shows how we’re tracking against our Council Plan. 

Below are some highlights from the Quarterly Community Report – Quarter Three 2023/24. 

You can also read the full report online.

Progress made in delivering the Council Plan 2021-25

We're on track with our Council Plan 2021-25, having started all 57 planned actions for this financial year. 

By the end of March 2024, 47 actions were completed or on track, achieving an 82% success rate, exceeding our 75% target.

Financial update

Our financial health remains strong. Through careful budget management and strategic financial planning, we've increased our cash and cash equivalents from $81.1 million in June 2023 to $96.5 million, and reduced our borrowings from $34.9 million to $31.6 million, demonstrating strengthened financial sustainability. 

We reported a surplus of $15.1 million for March 2024. This surplus is essential to fund our future capital works and other programs.

Capital works

The Capital Works Program is a comprehensive asset renewal, upgrade and new works program and the total projected investment for 2023/24 is $29.8 million. These projects enhance community safety, usability, and the longevity of our assets.

So far, we’ve spent $17.2 million for the 2023/24 program. In this quarter, we’ve progressed well in the delivery of a mix of infrastructure works, such as roads and drainage; and structural works, including ovals, pavilions and community facilities – a result of improved management of our capital works projects.

Community engagement

A key highlight in the community engagement space this quarter has been the successful delivery of a deliberative engagement process focused on developing a set of service review principles.  Through a series of four workshops, led by independent facilitators, a group of 42 community members developed a draft set of guiding principles that will help inform and guide Council’s future planning and review of community services.
Deliberative engagement is one of the deepest forms of community engagement and helps us understand our community’s diverse perspectives and lived experience. 

Feedback from the community working group indicated that participants were comfortable with the quality of the information, satisfied with the opportunity to express their views, and found their participation in this process worthwhile.

Read the full report.