We believe Cockburn is the best place to live, work and play. Satisfaction with the City of Cockburn among residents is high because we provide great value for money, work hard to keep our communities looking great, while maintaining a strong financial position and giving generously to local organisations.
Just like our community, the City continues to operate in a challenging, high-cost environment, paying more to sustain current service levels for a rapidly growing community. As a sensible approach to the current economic climate, the City is continues to prioritise maintaining our existing assets and over new projects.
In a continuing environment of high inflation, rising interest rates, high construction costs, and a tight labour market the City of Cockburn’s 2024-25 rates will continue to be some of the lowest in Perth.
To help alleviate costs for individuals and businesses, the City will eliminate interest charges on all payment plans, including instalments, SmartRates, and other customised plans.
Assets
The City maintains many natural and human-made assets, infrastructure and amenities which is costing more in the current economic climate. This includes 408 parks and reserves and 214 playgrounds, 64,022 park and verge trees, 876km of road, 845km of footpaths, as well as many community facilities and centres and Port Coogee Marina.
Economic Development
The City is dedicated to empowering its business sector through a diverse range of initiatives. It provides an extensive calendar of workshops and specialised training programs. Additionally, the City fosters trade opportunities both at home and overseas through collaboration, networking, and educational events to further enhance the growth and development of businesses in Cockburn.
Environment
The City actively responds to the climate change challenge through land use planning, emergency management, control of public infrastructure and delivery of community services. We also have many initiatives to reduce our impact on the environment, improve sustainability and preserve our precious natural spaces. These initiatives focus on improving our urban forests and streetscapes, sustainably managing our water, energy, and other resources, minimising the City’s waste to landfill, and installing long term coastal protection measures.
Waste
The City provides weekly general waste and recycling bin collections, fortnightly green waste collections, and verge collections to thousands of households and businesses across 23 suburbs. Ratepayers also receive six trailer passes for the Henderson Waste Recovery Park.
Community Services
Our community services are free or heavily subsidised and second to none in terms of the service they provide. These include Cockburn ARC, one of the best recreation centres in Australia, Cockburn Health and Community facility, three libraries, Seniors Centre, Youth Centre, family and parenting services, a frail aged care service, a volunteer centre, free financial counselling service and family day care.
Safety and Security
The City works in partnership with WA Police, schools, shopping centres and the community to make our community safe. The City-run security service Co-Safe offers a responsive and effective service in response to community concerns about safety and security and the City offers generous subsidies for CCTV.
Giving back to the community
In addition, the City donates more than $1.96m to the community through grants and donations and runs many free community events such as the vibrant and very Cockburn Coogee Live.
A healthier community
- Cockburn ARC expansion $7.14m – Expanding Cockburn ARC and Fremantle Dockers facilities, including a new shared facility (project commenced 2023-24)
- Playground renewal and upgrades $2.05m
- BMX Facility at Malabar Park, Bibra Lake $3.22m – upgrade commenced in 2023-24 to transform Malabar Park into a regional level BMX facility
- Santich Park, Spearwood $1.27m – parking and lighting
- Tempest Park, Coolbellup $0.46m – new floodlighting.
A connected community
- Rockingham/Phoenix Roads intersection upgrade $2.49m – installation of a new roundabout, upgraded lighting and features to encourage slower speeds
- Carrington Street, Forrest Road intersection improvements – $1.02m
- Beeliar Drive, Dunraven Drive intersection improvements – $1.02m.
A great community
- Aboriginal Cultural & Visitors Centre $2.25m – Finalising design for tender, progressing a funding model for a new centre to honour the rich traditions of the First Nations people and share with visitors
- Omeo Park, Port Coogee southern amenities – $1.5m – new toilets, changing rooms and a shade shelter
- Cockburn Resource Recovery Redevelopment $3.50m – leachate pond construction
- Other building renewals and upgrades $5.16m
- Grants and donations – $1.45m.
A greener community
- Urban Forest Tree Planting program – $0.625m – planting 1,200 new street trees throughout Cockburn.
The City's strategic plans set the goals and direction for the City's future activities. They include the Strategic Community Plan, Corporate Business Plan, Long Term Financial Plan, Workforce Plan, Annual Budget and Report, Asset Management Plans, Project Plans and Service Plans.
The Strategic Community Plan guides the direction of the City for the next ten years while the Corporate Business Plan provides a four year view of the projects and initiatives the City will undertake.