City’s services feel the squeeze

During its recent budget deliberations, the Federal Government reaffirmed the grants would not be increased in line with the Consumer Price Index and population increases until 2017-18.

Mr Pickard, who is also the Australian Local Government Association president, said reduced funding through the assistance grants could negatively affect the financial sustainability of the City and other local governments.

"This freeze on indexation of the fund pool was one of a number of external factors the City of Joondalup had to take into account when delivering its 2015-16 budget," he said.

"While the City greatly appreciates the significant contribution the Commonwealth Government has provided through this funding stream towards infrastructure in our City over a number of years, the freeze on indexation continues to hurt the City and all local governments."

In 2015-16, the City will receive about $5.7 million through the assistance grants.

About $2 million will be used to partly fund the City's $6.7 million road resurfacing program while the remaining $3.5 million will go into general purposes funding.