The draft 2026/27 Budget includes an updated fees and charges schedule for Council.
Mayor, Cr Tony Clark, said that while fees and charges only account for 4.2 per cent of Council income, they play an important role in funding important services for our community.
Council collects two types of fees and charges:
- Statutory fees and fines (set by the Victorian Government) ($940,000)
- User fees and charges (set by Council) ($922,000)
“Statutory fees are determined by the Victorian Government and typically do not keep pace with rising costs and inflation. Council continues to advocate for better support from all levels of government to help provide services and spaces for our community,” said Cr Clark.
Fees and charges have been partially modernised this year, with changes aimed at simplifying the way certain charges are applied.
“We have benchmarked and reviewed how we charge for outdoor dining and trading. Instead of a flat fee, we’re proposing to a charge based on the size of the space used, so it better reflects how much of the area a business occupies. We will still make sure the approach supports local businesses and will work with businesses through the permit and application process,” said Cr Clark.
Council has also revised transfer station fees with the introduction of a higher fee for non-residents.
“The entry to our pool facilities remains free for the community. We want to encourage use of these facilities, particular from a health and wellbeing perspective,” said Cr Clark.
In other proposed changes, a new charge for planning pre-application meetings with Council will be introduced. This is designed to streamline the application process to ensure Council is reviewing better informed applications and reducing the time taken for Council to review applications. In addition, building permits and charges will be aligned with Mount Alexander Shire Council’s, as they are delivering these services for Hepburn Shire.
The fees and charges will take effect on 1 July 2026.
More information on the draft 2026/27 Budget, including the fees and charges schedule is available on Participate Hepburn.
Information supplied by Hepburn Shire Council.
