Council and Wellbeing Plan 2025-2029
Revenue and Rating Plan 2025-2029
Stage 2 (Sept-Nov 2024)
Stage 3 (Apr – May 2025)
Draft Plan:
46 responses to consultation on draft Council and Wellbeing Plan and Revenue and Rating Plan online and in person
432 visits to Engage Frankston page – 36% stayed on the page for at least 1 minute.
In April-May 2025, we presented and sought feedback from our community on:
1. Our draft Council and Wellbeing Plan 2025-2029:
• We explained how we plan to deliver the Strategic Outcomes over the next four years, with four-year objectives and actions we're prioritising for Year 1 delivery.
• We highlighted actions that we know are important to our community from our Stage 1 and 2 engagements, particularly those our community wanted Council to 'focus more on’.
• We invited review and feedback on all planned actions in our draft Council and Wellbeing Plan 2025-2029 and Year 1 Action Plan. We asked if it meets our community's expectations, based on your needs and aspirations identified in earlier engagement stages.
2. Our draft Revenue and Rating Plan 2025-2029:
• We explained the purpose of the Plan, and our proposal to change the differential rate that applies to vacant land in the FMAC area and on Nepean Highway as to way to support delivery of the Council and Wellbeing Plan and to discourage land banking and encourage development.
• We invited review and feedback on the proposed new 'differential rate’ and any other elements of the draft Plan.
We promoted this engagement opportunity widely using:
Frankston city eNewsletter
3,387 recipients
Engage Frankston Newsletter
930 members
Mini Frankston City Newsletter
665 members
‘Your Vision for Frankston City’page followers
68 Engage Frankston members
In addition to the 1400 contributions to Stages 1 and 2, in Stage 3 we received: • 46 responses
432 visits to Engage Frankston Council and Wellbeing Plan feedback
Four Facebook posts
181 reactions, 61 comments, 18 shares
Media
5 newspaper articles, 2 radio discussions
Question 1
Council and Wellbeing Plan
Strategic Outcomes
"Can you clearly see the connection between our community's aspirations, the draft four-year Strategic Outcomes and Objectives, and the draft Year 1 Actions?"
Question 2
Health and Wellbeing priorities
"Can you clearly see the connection between our Health and Wellbeing priorities and the Community Vision 2040."
Question 3
Revenue and Rating plan
differential rate proposal
"Do you support the proposal to introduce into the Annual Budget 2025-2026 a differential rate for all vacant land in the Frankston Metropolitan Activity Centre (FMAC) and Nepean Highway."
16 responses Supported with 6.9/10 average
8 responses Supported with 8.4/10 average
22 responses Supported with 5.1/10 average
We asked community to share feedback on our draft Council and Wellbeing Plan and if they clearly saw the connection between our community's aspirations, the draft four-year Strategic Outcomes and Objectives, and the draft Year 1 Actions
Stop using Glyphosate
- Is being addressed in Initiative 2.1.4 which will review the Biodiversity policy in 2025/26
Be cautious about wording around 'healthy eating/lifestyles' FA – Wording change to page 27, what was ‘promoting healthy eating and food security’ will now read ‘promoting nutritious and secure food environments’.
Consider community led well-being rituals (ie. beach walks, open water swims)
Ensure council is supporting rate payers through reducing rates
Advocate on crime with a focus on stronger bail and reoffend laws
– while not specific to ‘rituals’ Council works closely with volunteer organisations within Initiative 1.2.3 and out community centres and neighbourhood houses (1.2.5)
Council has put forward a local support package to assist ratepayers with the cost of living.
Encourage affordable housing developments
in 2025-26 within Initiative 3.2.2 our work on the Frankston City Housing Strategy will help to address this concern along with our Affordable Housing Policy
CBD shopping regeneration by attracting big retail tenants and free parking NFA – Council have endorsed and continue to work on our FMAC structure plan within Initiative 3.2.3 aimed at regenerated the Frankston CBD and 3.3.5 specifically within the Economic Development and Skilled Community Strategy
Incorporating specific recommendations around UV exposure when planning open spaces
NFA – This is supported and highlighted in our Local Play Space Strategy, Urban Forest Action Plan 2020–2040, Climate Change Strategy 2023–2030 and Coastal & Marine Management Plan 2024
Natural environment
Feedback
Concern over council tree removals
Planning for open/green space in response to anticipated population growth
Concern over planning for rising sea levels
Recommendation (NFA – no further action; FA – further action required)
NFA – this is addressed through Initiative 2.1.1 with an emphasis on supporting the planning and maintenance of trees
FA – include Frankston Open Space Strategy as a key Strategy listed to support the City Planning Service.
NFA – within Initiative 2.4.2 our Coastal marine management plan places a focus on this concern
Connected places and economy
Feedback
Questioned the abbreviations used in relation to strategic indicators (Year 1 Action Plan)
Questioned the alignment of the strategic indicators related to the library and Initiative 3.1.1 in the Year 1 Action Plan
Recommendation (NFA – no further action; FA – further action required)
FA – this will be rectified in the final document.
FA – the strategic indicators measure progress towards the strategic objective and not the specific initiatives, this will be made clearer in the final document.
We asked respondents could they clearly see the connection between our Health and Wellbeing priorities and the Community Vision 2040
7 responses * 5 ratings received
Feedback Recommendation (NFA – no further action; FA – further action required)
Reducing rates to assist in cost-of-living issues that may lead to poor mental health
Change terminology from smoke-free environments to include vape-free
“Being cautious around the use of terminology such as 'healthy eating' and 'healthy lifestyles’”
Enforcement of no-smoking and noise related (at venues) local laws
8.4 average level of connection*
Parenting support and education
Resourcing for youth related issues
NFA - Council has put forward a local support package to assist ratepayers with the cost of living. Initiatives 1.1.3; 1.2.2 and 1.3.1 promote mental wellbeing. Initiative 1.2.4 addresses support through emergency relief organisations. Council are also piloting programs that provide support and referral for people experiencing poor mental health and wellbeing i.e. Social Work Clinic at Frankston Library and Community Connectors at Frankston Station and Young St.
NFA – Change not necessary as e-cigarettes and tobacco fall under the same regulations so is automatically accounted for without needing to specifically reference this.
FA - Recommend amending wording on page 15 from ‘Physical activity, healthy eating, good health’ to ‘Good health, active lifestyles, nutritious food’.
Recommend amending wording on page 25 from 'promoting healthy eating and food security' to 'promoting nutritious and secure food environments.'
NFA - The Environmental Health Team currently investigates referrals from Police and complaints from the public over non-compliance with the Tobacco Act, in FY23/24 35 complaints were received and 211 tobacco education visits were made to retailers, outdoor dining and drinking establishments. The EPA handle noise complaints related to entertainment venues, these can be reported online or via phone.
NFA - This is addressed through initiatives 1.3.1; 1.3.2 and is a focus in the Municipal Early Years Plan 2021-2025 through capacity building for families and their children
NFA – Being addressed through Initiative 1.1.1; 1.1.2 and through Council's Youth Action Plan 2022-2026
A. Do you support differential rate proposal
B. Other feedback on draft Revenue and Rating Plan
responses
5.1
Council’s decision:
• Council listened to feedback and decided to adopt the Revenue and Rating Plan, which includes a new differential rate on all vacant land properties addressed to or abutting Nepean Highway, including the FMAC Structure Plan boundary.
• This rate is three times the general rate and is introduced as one way that Council can provide strong incentive to develop land, avoid land banking and ensure our city centre reflects the best of Frankston City.
• While total income from general rates will rise by three percent in 2025-2026 (in line with the State Government cap), the introduction of the differential rate means the average increase in income from residential and commercial ratepayers will be 2.24 percent and 1.12 percent respectively.
• Council continues to adopt 'differential rating' to help equitably distribute the rating burden across ratepayers. Council uses this to assess particular classes of properties at different levels, to shift part of the rate burden from some groups of ratepayers to others..
1. Access final Council and Wellbeing Plan and Revenue and Rating Plan here: engage.frankston.vic.gov.au/council-andwellbeing-plan
2. Learn more about Stage 1, 2 and 3 engagement here, and ‘follow’ for updates:
steps engage.frankston.vic.gov.au/ your-vision-frankston-city.
