Feedback has now closed. Feedback has been presented to Councillors at 7 December 2022 briefing, for their consideration. You can view the minutes when they become available here.
You are invited to provide input towards the development of the City of Ballarat 2023/24 Annual Budget.
This year we are asking for feedback on your priorities within the Council Plan 2021 -2025. This will give us time to consider how your feedback may inform the actions and plans developed for next year’s budget.
Changes to the Local Government Act have given us more freedom to determine the way we engage the community regarding annual budgets. In the past, we gave the community four weeks to comment on a draft budget. Now, two years after the adoption of the Council Plan which sets out priorities for this term of Council, we are seeking input from the community before a draft is prepared to identify potential new ideas, project priorities and actions that support the delivery of the Council Plan. Once the November community consultation period is finished and the draft is completed and endorsed by Council, we will again seek community feedback on the draft in May 2023.
What will form the foundation of the 2023/24 budget preparation?
Council has many adopted strategies that will inform the development of the 2023/24 Annual Budget. The following three strategic documents provide a good insight into the City of Ballarat’s priorities and projected financial position:
Annual Budget 2022/23, (includes budgets for the three future years 23/24, 24/25 and 25/26)
The City of Ballarat is seeking your feedback in two ways:
- Complete the brief survey below by 5:00pm Friday 25 November.
- Alternatively, you can provide feedback via the following drop-in and virtual engagement activities that will be held in the month of November.
Drop-in and virtual sessions
Tuesday 22 November – at 2:00pm – 3:00pm, Committee Room 2, Town Hall, 225 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central VIC
Thursday 24 November – Virtual at 5.30 – 6.30pm
To register for the virtual (on-line) session please send an email to jasonclissold@ballarat.vic.gov.au before 5pm Monday 21 November. You will then be provided with a link to the session.
What should I know before I give you, my thoughts?
Two of the City of Ballarat’s largest sources of income are rates and government grants. Rates provide critical revenue for the City of Ballarat to deliver over 80 services and $130.9 million in capital works. The diagram below shows how many dollars are allocated to each key area for every $100 spent.
There are a lot of considerations when developing the 2023/24 Annual Budget. These include:
- The existing four-year Council Plan and established strategic objectives.
- The impact of rate capping on the ability to pay increasing costs.
- The impact of a growing community and the need to provide new and upgraded roads, parks, drains and other infrastructure.
- Maintaining and renewing our $2 billion worth of assets.
- Continuing to deliver the services we are legally required to provide.
- Continuing to deliver our existing services to a growing community.
- The option of borrowing money to cover costs, particularly for large intergenerational projects.
Survey
Budget Survey
CLOSED: This survey has concluded.
