Merri-bek City Council

What Merri-bek City Council does

Merri-bek City Council is a statutory local government authority serving Melbourne's inner-northern suburbs, including Brunswick, Coburg, Glenroy, Hadfield, and Pascoe Vale. The council was established in 1994 (as Moreland City Council) and rebranded to Merri-bek in 2022, adopting a name derived from the Woi-wurrung language meaning "a place of many stones." It serves a population of over 160,000 residents (estimated at 175,000+) and operates as a government-owned municipal entity with 1,001-5,000 employees, headquartered at 90 Bell Street, Coburg, Victoria.

The council's core products and services span rates administration, waste and recycling collection (general rubbish, mixed recycling, food and garden organics, and glass recycling), property valuations using the Capital Improved Value (CIV) methodology, community services (children and families, youth, older people, disability services, maternal and child health), planning and building approvals, libraries, arts and culture, parks, parking, and roads. Its technology infrastructure comprises a standard eServices portal (eservices.moreland.vic.gov.au), the Conversations Merri-bek community engagement platform, the Active Merri-bek recreation portal, the Love Merri-bek Buy Local business directory, and the Zero Carbon Merri-bek climate program site. There are no proprietary AI/ML systems, APIs, or SDKs disclosed.

Merri-bek's business model is rates-funded. The 2025-26 rates revenue requirement is $202,778,329 AUD, calculated by multiplying each property's Capital Improved Value by a rate-in-the-dollar of 0.0023883 and capped at 3% annual growth by the Victorian state government. Revenue is supplemented by annual waste charges ($333.77 for a standard service), user fees (parking permits, animal registration, building and planning fees), pensioner rebates (up to $266 plus $50 ESVF), and late-payment interest at 10% per annum. The customer base comprises residential ratepayers, local businesses, vulnerable and priority populations, and community groups within a fixed municipal boundary — a captive geography with no competitive market entry possible.

Name

Merri-bek City Council

Legal name

Merri-bek City Council

Website

https://merri-bek.vic.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Merri-bek City Council is a statutory local government authority serving approximately 175,000 residents across Melbourne's inner-northern suburbs, providing rates administration, waste and recycling collection, community services, planning, and libraries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Government Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI)

Keywords

• Local government services
• Municipal waste collection
• Property rates administration
• Community social services
• Urban planning approvals

Headquarters

HQ city

Coburg

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Rates and property taxation: The council generates primary revenue through property rates calculated based on Capital Improved Value (CIV). The 2025-26 rates revenue requirement within the state rate cap is $202,778,329. Rates are paid in four quarterly instalments or monthly via direct debit.
2. Waste charges: Annual waste charges recovered on rates notices cover kerbside collection services including general rubbish, mixed recycling, food and garden organics (FOGO), and glass recycling bins. Standard service waste charge is $333.77 per year.
3. User fees and charges: Various service fees including parking permits and fines, animal registration, building and planning fees, hire of facilities, and other municipal services.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Merri-bek City Council is a metropolitan local government authority that delivers statutory municipal services to approximately 175,000 residents in Melbourne's inner-northern suburbs. Core offerings include property rates administration using the Capital Improved Value methodology, kerbside waste and recycling collection (general rubbish, mixed recycling, glass, and food and garden organics), community and family services (children, youth, aged care, disability support), planning and building approvals, pet registration, parking permits, library services, and zero waste sustainability programs.

Product overview

Merri-bek City Council operates as a local government authority providing a comprehensive suite of community services and infrastructure management. The core service portfolio includes rates and property services (rates payment processing, property valuations, pensioner rebates), waste and recycling management (kerbside bin collection for general rubbish, mixed recycling, glass recycling, and food organics; hard waste collection; recycling stations), community services (children and family support, youth services, aged care, disability services), environmental sustainability programs (zero waste initiatives, energy-saving grants), parking and road management, libraries, arts and events, and planning and building services. The council's digital presence includes an eServices portal for online payments and service requests, with services accessible through multiple channels including online, phone, post, and in-person Customer Service Centres.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rates Payment Services Service enabling Merri-bek residents to pay annual council rates via the eServices website, BPAY, direct debit, Centrepay, phone, post, or in-person at Customer Service Centres and post offices. Rates are paid in four quarterly instalments or monthly via direct debit.
• Kerbside Waste Collection Services Scheduled kerbside collection of general rubbish bins (red/dark green lid), mixed recycling bins (yellow lid), glass recycling bins (purple lid), and food and garden organics bins (light green lid) for all households in the municipality. Standard combined service is $333.77/year.
• Waste and Recycling Services Comprehensive waste management offering covering kerbside bin collection, recycling stations, resource recovery centres, hard waste collection bookings, and street cleaning programs for the Merri-bek community.
• Community Services Range of community services including children and family support, youth services, aged care, disability services, maternal and child health, kindergarten registration, and multicultural services for residents of the Merri-bek municipality.
• Property Valuation Services Annual property valuation services using the Capital Improved Value (CIV) methodology, with options for valuation objections through the Victorian Valuer General. Determines the rateable value used to calculate council rates.
• Financial Hardship Support Payment assistance programs including payment plans, rate extensions, rate deferrals, and financial hardship applications for residents experiencing financial difficulties with council rates.
• Zero Waste Programs Sustainability initiatives including subsidy programs for reusable cloth nappies and period products, repair cafes, tool libraries, and Garage Sale Trail community events to reduce household waste in Merri-bek.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• City of Yarra: Inner-north/east Melbourne metropolitan council serving a comparable demographic of urban residents. Direct peer because it operates the same rate-funded municipal services model including kerbside waste collection, four-bin FOGO programs, and community services, with similar population scale and density profile.
• City of Darebin: Northern Melbourne metropolitan council directly adjacent to Merri-bek, sharing borders and demographic characteristics. Operates identical four-stream kerbside waste collection (rubbish, recycling, FOGO, glass) and similar community services portfolio, making it the most direct operational peer.
• City of Moonee Valley: North-western Melbourne metropolitan council of comparable scale, operating under the same Victorian Local Government Act with identical rating powers and rate cap exposure. Comparable in population size, service mix (waste, planning, community), and funding model.
• City of Banyule: North-eastern Melbourne metropolitan council serving a comparable resident base with overlapping service responsibilities including kerbside waste collection, maternal and child health, aged care, and planning approvals. Same state rate cap and rating framework.
• City of Port Phillip: Inner-southern Melbourne council with similar urban density, demographic profile, and service demands. Operates kerbside waste collection, community services, planning, and arts programming under the same Victorian legislative framework with comparable rate cap constraints.
• City of Maribyrnong: Inner-western Melbourne metropolitan council sharing borders and demographic characteristics with Merri-bek. Comparable scale, similar urban renewal context, and operates the same waste, community, and planning services under the Victorian local government framework.
• City of Stonnington: Inner-south-eastern Melbourne council of comparable scale and urban character, operating under the same Victorian rate-capped funding model. Provides the same suite of municipal services including waste collection, planning, community services, and arts/cultural programming.

Broad incumbents

• City of Melbourne: Central Melbourne municipality operating the same local government functions but with a much larger CBD-focused commercial ratepayer base. Comparable as a Victorian metropolitan council with extensive digital service delivery, arts programming, and waste services, though with materially different revenue mix.

Others

• Municipal Association of Victoria: Peak body representing all 79 Victorian local councils including Merri-bek. Relevant as the primary advocacy and policy coordination entity that interacts with state government on rate capping, waste policy, and funding matters that directly affect Merri-bek's operating environment.
• Sustainability Victoria: Victorian state government agency that administers grant funding for waste reduction and recycling programs. Comparable as a stakeholder/ecosystem participant relevant to Merri-bek's Zero Waste and Zero Carbon initiatives and FOGO infrastructure investment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MerribekCouncil
• Facebookfacebook.com/merribekcitycouncil
• Instagraminstagram.com/merri_bekcitycouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Merri-bek City Council