Shire President Update

The 2026/27 budget was adopted by Council at a Special Meeting last week. Each year, Council carefully prepares a budget that balances the needs of our growing community with the responsibility of managing public funds wisely. While we continue to secure funding through grants, fees, charges and other revenue sources wherever possible, rates remain the Shire’s primary source of income, accounting for around two-thirds of our operating revenue.

These rates enable us to deliver the services and infrastructure our community relies on every day. Looking ahead, Council is taking a proactive approach to the Shire’s long-term financial sustainability, focusing on maintaining the assets and services our community already relies on and careful consideration of future commitments, ensuring projects are planned and affordable over their full life.

Like many households and businesses, local government continues to face rising costs due to inflation. Council understands the financial pressures many residents are experiencing and has carefully considered the impact when preparing this year’s budget. As a result, Council adopted a 5% rate increase for 2026/27, balancing affordability with our ability to continue delivering essential services and infrastructure.

Please remember if you are having difficulty paying your rates, the Shire has payment arrangements available and encourages you to contact us to discuss the options.

It was wonderful to officially open the new Port Denison Boat Ramp and Floating Jetty this month.

The project has had its challenges so seeing the facility open and being enjoyed by our community is very rewarding.

I would like to thank everyone involved in bringing this project to completion, particularly Shire staff, Port Denison Volunteer Marine Rescue and the Western Australian Government, which provided funding through the Recreational Boating Facilities Scheme and the Small Grants Program.

Thanks to everyone who came along to celebrate this important milestone with us, including the Hon Sandra Carr MLA, who represented the Minister for Regional Development, the Hon Stephen Dawson MLC, Chair of the Mid West Development Commission, Lara Dalton and CEO Nils Hays, and the team from the Department of Transport.

Most importantly, thank you to our community for your patience throughout what has been a challenging project.

This month we held our Strategic Community Plan workshops and drop-in sessions. It was fantastic to hear directly from residents about what matters most to them and what they would like to see for our community over the next decade and beyond.

We also conducted phone interviews for those who were unable to make the workshops.

Your feedback will help Council identify the services and community assets that matter most and guide our priorities for the future.

Thank you for your continued interest, engagement and support. The

strength of our Shire comes from the people who live, work and invest here, and your involvement helps us make better decisions for our community’s future.

CR Isabelle Scott