Draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan & Budget and Long Term Financial Plan

Share Draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan & Budget and Long Term Financial Plan on Facebook Share Draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan & Budget and Long Term Financial Plan on Twitter Share Draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan & Budget and Long Term Financial Plan on Linkedin Email Draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan & Budget and Long Term Financial Plan link

Update: This consultation is closed and we are currently reviewing feedback received.

Background

We invite the community to provide feedback on the draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan & Budget and Long Term Financial Plan.

The draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan outlines how the City of Tea Tree Gully will invest in infrastructure, services and programs that support wellbeing, foster economic growth and promote the development of a healthy, safe, prosperous, connected, vibrant and liveable community.

Supported by a $42 million capital works program, this year’s budget carefully balances financial responsibility and meaningful investment. These projects will make our City even more liveable, support local jobs and businesses, and strengthen community resilience.

In the year ahead, numerous major projects will be delivered including more upgrades for parks, roads and sporting facilities, which aligns with the themes of our new Strategic Plan 2030.

More than $6 million will be invested in improving open spaces. This includes $1.6 million for the Holden Hill Precinct, a new playground at Maxlay Reserve, enhancements to Illyarrie Reserve and court improvements at Modbury Tennis Club.

The strategic acquisition of land in the Civic Precinct, including Sfera’s, will make a positive contribution to our financial performance and expand future opportunities for development in consultation with the community.

To fund our priorities, we propose a rate increase of 3.0% (excluding growth) – about an extra $1.18 a week for a median residential property.

The current Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) was adopted on 10 December 2024 after community consultation. Since then there have been significant changes including the purchase of strategic buildings such as Sfera’s Park Suites & Convention Centre. The LTFP has been updated to include these changes and can be found in page 46 of the plan.

View the documents here:

To get involved and have your say:

Hard copies of the draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan & Budget and Long Term Financial Plan, Summary Sheet and feedback form are available at the Council's Civic Centre, 571 Montague Road, Modbury and the Tea Tree Gully Library during business hours.

Consultation is open until 5pm Wednesday 4 June 2025.

Following community consultation, Council will determine whether the direction and focus of these plans are appropriate, and to what extent the proposed initiatives and standards of service will be funded.

If you need assistance to participate in this consultation, please call the Community Engagement team on 8397 7444 or send us a message

Update: This consultation is closed and we are currently reviewing feedback received.

Background

We invite the community to provide feedback on the draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan & Budget and Long Term Financial Plan.

The draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan outlines how the City of Tea Tree Gully will invest in infrastructure, services and programs that support wellbeing, foster economic growth and promote the development of a healthy, safe, prosperous, connected, vibrant and liveable community.

Supported by a $42 million capital works program, this year’s budget carefully balances financial responsibility and meaningful investment. These projects will make our City even more liveable, support local jobs and businesses, and strengthen community resilience.

In the year ahead, numerous major projects will be delivered including more upgrades for parks, roads and sporting facilities, which aligns with the themes of our new Strategic Plan 2030.

More than $6 million will be invested in improving open spaces. This includes $1.6 million for the Holden Hill Precinct, a new playground at Maxlay Reserve, enhancements to Illyarrie Reserve and court improvements at Modbury Tennis Club.

The strategic acquisition of land in the Civic Precinct, including Sfera’s, will make a positive contribution to our financial performance and expand future opportunities for development in consultation with the community.

To fund our priorities, we propose a rate increase of 3.0% (excluding growth) – about an extra $1.18 a week for a median residential property.

The current Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) was adopted on 10 December 2024 after community consultation. Since then there have been significant changes including the purchase of strategic buildings such as Sfera’s Park Suites & Convention Centre. The LTFP has been updated to include these changes and can be found in page 46 of the plan.

View the documents here:

To get involved and have your say:

Hard copies of the draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan & Budget and Long Term Financial Plan, Summary Sheet and feedback form are available at the Council's Civic Centre, 571 Montague Road, Modbury and the Tea Tree Gully Library during business hours.

Consultation is open until 5pm Wednesday 4 June 2025.

Following community consultation, Council will determine whether the direction and focus of these plans are appropriate, and to what extent the proposed initiatives and standards of service will be funded.

If you need assistance to participate in this consultation, please call the Community Engagement team on 8397 7444 or send us a message

Draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan & Budget and Long Term Financial Plan

Ask us a question about the draft 2025-2026 Annual Business Plan & Budget and Long Term Financial Plan and we will get back to you.

Note: please do not send questions here that are not relevant to this draft plan. Questions about general Council matters please contact Customer Service

loader image
Forgot password?
Didn't receive confirmation?
Register Now
Seems like you are already registered, please provide the password. Forgot your password? Create a new one now.
  • Share Where did the money come from to purchase Sfera's, and why weren't the rate payers consulted? If you can afford to purchase Sfera's you shouldn't need to increase rates by 3.0%. Rate income for 2025-2026 will increase naturally through being linked to property values- which continually increase each year. on Facebook Share Where did the money come from to purchase Sfera's, and why weren't the rate payers consulted? If you can afford to purchase Sfera's you shouldn't need to increase rates by 3.0%. Rate income for 2025-2026 will increase naturally through being linked to property values- which continually increase each year. on Twitter Share Where did the money come from to purchase Sfera's, and why weren't the rate payers consulted? If you can afford to purchase Sfera's you shouldn't need to increase rates by 3.0%. Rate income for 2025-2026 will increase naturally through being linked to property values- which continually increase each year. on Linkedin Email Where did the money come from to purchase Sfera's, and why weren't the rate payers consulted? If you can afford to purchase Sfera's you shouldn't need to increase rates by 3.0%. Rate income for 2025-2026 will increase naturally through being linked to property values- which continually increase each year. link

    Where did the money come from to purchase Sfera's, and why weren't the rate payers consulted? If you can afford to purchase Sfera's you shouldn't need to increase rates by 3.0%. Rate income for 2025-2026 will increase naturally through being linked to property values- which continually increase each year.

    David* asked about 1 month ago

    Hello David,

    Thank you for your questions. Please find the answers below.

    The purchase of Sfera’s Park Suites and Convention Centre was funded through a combination of existing Council resources and borrowings. Specifically, 50% of the required funds were sourced from Council's Capital Budget allocations, while the remaining 50% was financed through borrowings. This balanced approach enabled Council to proceed with the acquisition while managing its financial responsibilities prudently.

    Community consultation on the Acquisition

    The community was not formally consulted regarding the acquisition of the Sfera’s site. Under the Local Government Act 1999 (SA), there is no legislative requirement for public consultation specifically in relation to land acquisitions. However, to ensure Elected Members were equipped to make an informed decision, an independent prudential report was commissioned. This report, prepared in accordance with the Act, provided critical analysis and guidance on the financial and strategic implications of the acquisition.

    Understanding Council rates and property valuations

    There is a common misconception that an increase in property valuations automatically results in increased revenue for councils. In reality, this is not the case. Council revenue from rates is determined based on the total amount required to fund services and infrastructure for the community.

    The rate in the dollar—a key component used to calculate individual property rates—is adjusted annually to reflect changes in overall property values. As valuations rise, the rate in the dollar can be lowered to ensure that the total revenue collected remains consistent with the Council’s budgetary needs. This mechanism ensures that councils do not receive a windfall due to increased property valuations.

    Key Points:

    • Revenue Targeting: Councils determine the total revenue required and then calculate the rate in the dollar accordingly.
    • Equity and Fairness: Increases in property values do not necessarily lead to increased rates; the system is designed to equitably distribute the funding burden without generating surplus income from valuation changes.


    To provide feedback and for more information on the consultation, please head to: https://haveyoursay.cttg.sa.gov.au/fin-plans-25-26 

    Kind regards,

    Brooke

Page last updated: 05 Jun 2025, 08:33 AM