Werribee City Council Passes Local Infrastructure Renewal Program Affecting Resident Rates

At its July 7 meeting the Werribee City Council voted 8 to 3 to adopt the Local Infrastructure Renewal Program, directing 4.5 million dollars toward road resurfacing and drainage works in Werribee South, Tarneit West and Wyndham Vale. The measure changes the annual rates schedule applied to 28,400 residential properties.

The vote followed release of the council's draft 2026-2027 budget papers in May, which identified 12 kilometres of local roads requiring immediate repair and 2.3 kilometres of ageing drainage pipes at risk of failure during heavy rain events. Policy analysts point to rising maintenance costs recorded in the 2025 annual report as the immediate trigger for the new program.

Impact on daily costs and services

Under the revised schedule a typical three-bedroom home assessed at 620,000 dollars will pay an extra 187 dollars per year. Residents in the three target suburbs will also see crews begin work on 1.8 kilometres of local streets by October, with the council stating that completed sections will reopen within four weeks of each closure. Local advocates note that households on fixed incomes may apply for the existing rates rebate, which covers up to 150 dollars for eligible applicants.

Community voices at the meeting included representatives from the Werribee Ratepayers Association, who asked for clearer timelines on when individual streets would be scheduled. The council responded that a public map of works will be published on its website by 1 August.

Next steps and timeline

The legislation states that the new rates take effect on 1 January 2027 and that the first quarterly instalment notices will reflect the increase. The government says the policy will complete the listed projects by June 2028, with quarterly progress reports presented at open council meetings. Further public consultation on the detailed street list is scheduled for the August ordinary meeting.