Redland City Council has adopted a $503 million Budget for the 2025–2026 financial year that makes a significant investment in essential infrastructure and services for the community.
The Budget addresses current and future needs in a challenging economic environment.
Council’s priority in preparing this year’s Budget has been on managing the impacts of financial challenges, such as increases in depreciation costs, decreases in interest rates, and increased maintenance and construction costs.
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Every budget allocation, from investments in infrastructure and parks to social and cultural programs, has been carefully considered by Councillors.
There were also discussions about efficiencies that could be implemented within the organisation and how to absorb external cost pressures rather than passing them onto ratepayers.
About $23 million in cost savings have been built into this year’s Budget through the identification of efficiencies in employee expenses, goods and services, and procurement.
Council was committed to keeping rate increases as low as possible.
However, rates must increase annually for Council to ensure it is meeting its responsibilities as a local government by maintaining its normal service levels and continuing to build the infrastructure the community needs.
Redland City’s rates base is largely residential, unlike neighbouring councils that have a large commercial and industrial sector and extensive high-density housing and high-rise buildings to add to their rates base
Council respects that rates contributions from residential property owners are vital to the running of the city, maintaining public assets such as car parks, boat ramps, street lighting and playgrounds, as well as funding services such as libraries, galleries, a performing arts centre and environment centre.
Council has adopted an increase to the minimum general rate of about $2.13 a week on average for category 1a, which is most of the city’s owner-occupied households.
The Budget includes pensioner rebates of almost $3.5 million, with pensioner rebates of $335 per year for a full pensioner and $167.50 for a part-pensioner.
This 2025-2026 Budget includes a capital expenditure program of $151.68 million.
Almost one-third of Council’s capital spend will go towards water, waste and wastewater projects, including landfill remediation and environmental works at Judy Holt Park at Thornlands; design and construction of a sewer trunk network from Double Jump Road; and construction of a new gravity main and sewerage pump station to service Kinross Road.
The second-largest capital spend in the Budget is $43.32 million for road reseal, reconstruction and upgrade projects, with a road upgrade for Kinross Road at Thornlands and the progression of the green seal program across the Southern Moreton Bay Islands.
Other infrastructure highlights include progressing the delivery of works within the Weinam Creek Priority Development Area and more than $4 million towards new and renewed footpaths across the city.
Council has also allocated $8.5 million to the Digital Transformation Program, a multi-year program of improvements to Council’s suite of digital services that will make it easier for the community to interact with Council and enable services to be delivered more efficiently.
The 2025–2026 Budget at a glance:
- $503 million investment in Redlands Coast
- An increase in general rates revenue of about $2.13 per week on average to the minimum general rate for a category 1a owner-occupied property, which is most of the city’s owner-occupied properties
- Small budgeted operating surplus of $704,000
- Capital expenditure program of $151.68 million
- Total pensioner rebates of almost $3.5 million, with rates rebates of $335 per year for a full pensioner or $167.50 for a part-pensioner.
Capital expenditure program at a glance:
- $48.27 million for water, waste and wastewater projects
- $43.32 million for transport, roads and traffic
- $27.77 million for infrastructure projects such as transport, buildings and stormwater
- $17.54 million for parks, open space and conservation
- $7.71 million for other capital works projects
- $5.36 million for marine and foreshore projects, including canal and breakwater works
- $1.71 million for community and cultural development
Visit the Redland City Council website at redland.qld.gov.au/budget for more Budget information.
The Kinross Road upgrade project has been funded under the Australian Government’s Housing Support Program – Community Enabling Infrastructure Stream.
The sewer trunk network expansion at Redland Bay will be delivered with the support of the Queensland Government’s South East Queensland Community Stimulus Program in association with Redland City Council.
