Hume City councillors approved a 12‑month car‑share pilot and adopted an updated rates financial hardship policy at its Monday 25 May meeting.
GoGet will run the car‑share trial from October with three reserved bays in Craigieburn and Roxburgh Park. The program comes at no direct cost to council; the operator will cover vehicles, insurance, signage and line marking. Councillors voted 8–3 in favour.
Sunbury is not included in the first tranche. However, officers will bring back a report after the trial with performance data, expansion options, a potential licensing model and future locations. If utilisation and availability targets are met, Sunbury could be considered in a second stage.
In other decisions, council adopted an updated Rates Financial Hardship Policy to align with state ministerial guidelines issued late last year.
The changes clarify the distinction between hardship (payment plans and deferrals) and financial hardship (potential waivers), stop penalty interest on approved deferrals under section 170, and formalise proportionate evidence, multiple application channels and protections for people experiencing family violence or economic abuse. Rate waivers remain a last resort in exceptional cases.
Councillors also endorsed the draft 2026 Social Justice Charter for public exhibition until 16 June, strengthening alignment with the Victorian Charter of Human Rights, recognising intersectionality, and adding focus areas including health equity, climate justice and digital inclusion. A final draft will return in July.
The third‑quarter budget report shows council broadly tracking to plan as at 31 March, with a year‑to‑date surplus of $99.78m and cash and investments of $377.24m. Local supplier spending reached $34.27m (19.16% of total spend). Rate arrears remain elevated at $50m but more accounts are now in payment arrangements under the hardship framework. Rate arrears cover about 25,000 properties and roughly 6,600 ratepayers are on payment arrangements.
Capital delivery hit 35% expenditure ($55.10m) of a revised $158.76m program by the end of the quarter. Council staff cited delays tied to approvals, grant conditions, cultural heritage processes and market volatility, with some projects expected to carry over into the next financial year.
An arts funding package of $72,684 was approved, split between three Creative Project Grants ($40,000 total) and 13 Creative Activity Grants ($32,684 total). Unsuccessful applicants will be offered feedback, and venue fee waivers may apply under council policy. Officers will develop a new Arts, Culture and Events Strategy in 2026/27, with opportunities for Sunbury’s creative sector.
In advocacy, councillors supported a motion to write to the Federal Government urging it to reinstate longstanding travel support for the parents of Corporal Cameron Baird VC MG, recognising the family’s ongoing contribution to commemorative and veteran education efforts. Council also noted April correspondence with state and federal MPs on roads, neighbourhood houses, community access to school facilities, emergency services funding and extractive resource planning.
Separately, council approved renaming two Meadow Heights facilities: the Visy Cares Learning Centre will become the Meadow Heights Community Centre, and the current Meadow Heights Community Centre will be renamed the Buchan Street Community Centre, with updated signage and communications to follow.
For Sunbury residents:
- Car‑share: Post‑trial reporting later this year will determine whether Sunbury gets bays in a future rollout
- Arts: Watch for the next grants round and input opportunities as the 2026/27 strategy is developed
- Social Justice Charter: Community feedback is open until 16 June
- Rates: Residents facing difficulty are encouraged to contact council early to discuss deferrals or payment plans under the updated policy