Budget & finances
Every Victorian council reports the same set of financial measures to the state each year, under the Local Government Performance Reporting Framework (LGPRF). The state doesn't set pass marks for these measures. So we show Nillumbik's figure for 2024–25 next to the median of all Victorian councils. The median is the middle value: half of councils are above it and half below. The median is a point of reference, not a target.
New to these terms? Read them in plain English
- Operating result (surplus / deficit)
- Income minus expenses for the year's normal operations.
- Average residential rate
- The typical yearly general-rates bill for a home in the area.
The numbers
- Average rate per property (2024–25)
- $2,696General rates divided by all property assessments (homes and businesses). Nillumbik has no municipal charge. The Victorian median is $1,937.
- Adjusted underlying result (2024–25)
- 6.4% deficitThe operating result without capital grants and contributions, as a share of that revenue. The Victorian median is a 0.56% surplus. The 2026–27 budget forecasts an operating surplus of $14.21 million; that figure includes grant income.
- Borrowings
- 21.2% of rates (2024–25)Loans and borrowings compared with rate revenue; the Victorian median is 13.2%. The 2026–27 budget includes provision for a new $3 million loan for an operational resilience reserve, to be drawn only if other savings or service reductions are exhausted, and $2 million of borrowing for the Kangaroo Ground landfill rehabilitation.
- 2026–27 capital works
- $18.83 millionIncluding $4.61 million of grant-funded works. The budget lists $2.49m for the Eltham Leisure Centre heat pump upgrade, $3.06m for rehabilitating the Kangaroo Ground landfill, $1.6m for the Safer Local Roads and Streets Program, $1.3m for road and carpark renewal and $1.3m for road and carpark upgrades.
| Measure (2024–25) | Nillumbik | Victorian median |
|---|---|---|
| −6.4% | 0.56% | |
| Current assets ÷ current liabilities (short-term liquidity) | 1.69× | 2.17× |
| Unrestricted cash ÷ current liabilities (free cash) | −0.17× | 0.26× |
| Loans and borrowings ÷ rates | 21.2% | 13.2% |
| Loan repayments ÷ rates | 4.4% | 1.4% |
| Non-current liabilities ÷ own-source revenue | 26.8% | 16.7% |
| Asset renewal and upgrade ÷ depreciation | 95.0% | 94.9% |
| Rates ÷ adjusted underlying revenue (reliance on rates) | 71.8% | 57.8% |
| Rates ÷ property values | 0.30% | 0.28% |
| Expenses per property assessment | $4,972 | $4,100 |
| Average rate per property assessment | $2,696 | $1,937 |
Nillumbik Shire Council, LGPRF financial measures, 2024–25, next to the median of the 79 Victorian councils reporting each measure. Source: Local Government Victoria, LGPRF 2020–2025 Full Council Data Set (Nov 2025 release), CC BY 4.0. The median is CouncilBeacon's own calculation.
The LGPRF has no official benchmarks, and Local Government Victoria says its data shouldn't be used for simplistic league tables. So we don't mark any figure as a pass or a fail, and we don't rank councils. The Victorian median is CouncilBeacon's own calculation, taken across the Victorian councils that report each measure in the 2024–25 data set. A figure above or below the median isn't good or bad in itself. Councils differ in size, assets and services; the LGPRF places Nillumbik in its 'Interface' group of councils on Melbourne's fringe. The unrestricted-cash figure is negative in the data set; the council's annual report explains its own cash position. The 2025–26 figures are due in about November 2026. Budget figures come from the published Budget 2026–2027; its timetable puts adoption at the Council meeting of 30 June 2026, and Participate Nillumbik lists the budget as adopted.
Sources — check it yourself
- Local Government Victoria — LGPRF 2020–2025 Full Council Data Set (XLSX, Nov 2025 release, CC BY 4.0) · 2024–25
- DataVic — Local Government Performance Reporting (dataset and licence) · 2024–25
- Victorian Government — Know Your Council comparison dashboard · Sep 2026
- Nillumbik Shire Council — Budget 2026–2027 (PDF) · 2026–27
- Nillumbik Shire Council — Budget · Sep 2026
- Participate Nillumbik — Budget 2026–2027 (adopted) · Sep 2026
- Nillumbik Shire Council — Updated Draft Budget 2026–2027 available for community feedback (13 May 2026) · May 2026
Figures are current as at the dates shown and may change — always confirm with the linked source. See the notice at the bottom of the page for full details and how to report a correction.