The City of Ballarat Draft Budget 2015/16 will go to the Ordinary Meeting of Ballarat City Council tomorrow night (13/05) in order to place it on public submission for a period of 28 days.

Ballarat Mayor Cr John Philips said this year’s Draft Budget is a careful balance between being responsible with rate-payers money and maintaining, servicing and building Ballarat.
“Each new project and each commitment of extra investment has been carefully considered. This Council is dedicated to delivering our projects on time and on budget and we are controlling costs of the business, including a reduction in management costs of $1 million this year.

“This makes more funding available for the projects and services we know are a priority for the people of Ballarat, while keeping the rate rise as low as possible.”

“At the same time we are delivering a 4% increase in core capital investment, which is critical in ensuring Ballarat continues to thrive,” he said.

The Draft Budget 2015/16 continues the clear direction and principles laid out in the Council Plan 2013-2017. The Plan was established by the current Council in 2013 and outlines the projects and services this Council has committed to delivering to the community.

Residents have the opportunity to provide written submissions on the Council Plan 2013-2017 and 2015-2016 Draft Budget, until 9am Monday 15 June. All submissions received will be considered at a special Council Meeting on Wednesday 17 June.

Maintaining Ballarat

City of Ballarat CEO Anthony Schinck said this year’s budget includes a strong focus on maintaining Ballarat.

“We are taking charge of maintaining Ballarat. We need to take care of what we have – our roads, our buildings, our parks and gardens, and sporting and recreational facilities.
“We are making key investments to keep our city up-to-date, and well placed for future growth, which means putting extra money into core infrastructure.
“A 4% increase in core capital investment is a key feature of this year’s budget.”

Maintaining Ballarat projects include:

• $2.6 million to maintain Council buildings – an extra $1.3 million on the previous year
• $10 million for roads maintenance
• $210,000 for bridge repairs
• $1.02 million for city presentation projects including street furniture, city entrances, street irrigation and landscaping, public place recycling and bus shelters
• $216,000 for public art and restoring city monuments
• $318,000 for neighbourhood playgrounds
• $281,000 for neighbourhood parks

Servicing Ballarat

This year’s budget is also about delivering fundamental services for Ballarat. Council have locked in the necessary expenses to run its 100-plus services through the 2015/16 Budget.
“This budget delivers all the services that the community needs and use every day including roads maintenance, libraries, immunisation and collecting garbage. We know these services are important to residents and they are the core work of Council,” said Anthony Schinck

A selection of Servicing Ballarat projects include:

• $13.63 million for road construction and renewal, including $2 million for rural roads
• $1.54 million for drainage projects
• $1.65 million for Ballarat’s three libraries and outreach service
• $1.148 million for Bicycle Strategy projects, bicycle paths and footpaths.
• $200,000 additional funding for community events including Christmas and Winterlude
• $300,000 to the City of Ballarat Community Impact Grants Program
• $375,000 to the Township Empowerment Programs

Building Ballarat

“This year’s budget continues the hard work of building for growth in Ballarat, including stimulating job growth and a stronger local economy. Extensive lobbying with the State Government has secured $53 million to build a better Ballarat,” said Mr Schinck.
This year’s Council Budget provides funding for critical major projects in partnership with the State Government:

Ballarat West Employment Zone
$5 million – City of Ballarat
$25 million – State Government

Wendouree Basketball and Sports Centre
$5 million – City of Ballarat
$9 million – State Government

Lucas Community Hub
$2.65 million – City of Ballarat
$1.6 million - State Government

In 2015/16, the City of Ballarat will also commence building the following projects, fully funded by the State Government:

Eureka Stadium AFL Upgrade
$15 million – State Government

CE Brown Reserve Clubrooms Upgrade
$2.5 million – State Government

The City of Ballarat will also invest $4.5 million in sports and recreation projects in 2015/16.

Clean Ballarat

“Council is dedicated to the Clean Ballarat initiative – providing an integrated approach to all of the city’s environmental initiatives. This includes looking at how we manage and deal with the city’s waste as well as innovative solution to our water and energy use,’ said Mr Schinck

Clean Ballarat projects included in the Draft Budget 2015/16:

• $2.32 million for waste and recycling services and programs
• $100,000 to deliver a priority action of the Environmental Sustainability Strategy
• $25,000 to replacing street lighting with low energy use light fittings as part of a long term transition project
• Investigate innovative waste management, from street collection to transfer station and landfill.
• Progress options for bio energy within the Ballarat West Employment Zone.

“The Clean Ballarat initiative is a careful response aimed at managing our business more effectively. A central focus of this will be a review of waste and landfill operations with a view to utilising these streams to generate energy and economic opportunity for our community,” said Mr Schinck.

Budget Priority Projects

In April, Council asked the community to get involved in early discussions through the $4.5 million Budget Priority Projects Survey. A total of 638 residents completed the simple questionnaire online at “myTownHall” and also via paper surveys, sharing their thoughts on which proposed projects were a priority for Ballarat this year. Residents told Council which of the projects they wanted in Ballarat this year and Council has listened.

Council will build a new public toilet in the entertainment precinct of the CBD, improve Her Majesty’s Theatre and Art Gallery of Ballarat, and transform the Mining Exchange to a live music venue. In local neighbourhoods, Council will deliver a modern community hub at Sebastopol Library, re-open the lookout at Black Hill lookout, build a new fernery at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, and lay the groundwork for a new youth space and Regional Motor Sports Facility in Ballarat. We will also make an important start on the big job of replacing all the street lighting in the City of Ballarat with low energy use light fittings and deliver a priority action of the Environmental Sustainability Strategy.

Council will deliver all of these great projects in 2015/2016, building a better Ballarat, for our local community and for visitors to the city. Funded projects include:

• Fernery – $1.4 million
  Design and build a new fernery and interactive experience at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens
• Sebastopol Library – $1.25 million
  Rejuvenation of the existing Sebastopol Library to provide a modern library and community hub
• Her Majesty’s Theatre – $1.12 million
  Replace theatre seats and upgrade theatre amenity to provide a contemporary theatre experience
• Public Toilet – $250,000
  Construct an additional CBD Public Toilet in the entertainment precinct
• Black Hill Reserve – $230,000
  Re-open the lookout facility at Black Hill and improve road access.
• Mining Exchange – $150,000
  Install soundproofing and acoustic treatment to establish the Mining Exchange as a live music venue
• Implementation of the Environmental Sustainability Strategy – $100,000
  Funding to implement a priority action contained within the ESS
• Motorsport Regional – $100,000
  Secure land for a possible future motor sport complex

The following projects will be met through internal re-prioritisations:

• Art Gallery of Ballarat – $50,000
  Renew the front foyer desk and install blackout curtains in the rear gallery
• Youth Space - $50,000
  Establish a new Youth Space at a location to be decided.
• LED Street Lighting – $25,000
  Replacement street lighting in the City of Ballarat with low energy use light fittings

Rates

The City of Ballarat has proposed a 5.5% rate increase for the 2015/16 financial year. The increase is applied to all ratepayers. In conjunction with this Council has continued its commitment to keeping rates lower for the Business community, with the Commercial rate proposed to rise by 3.5%.

Waste Management Service Charge: This charge covers both the weekly collection of household waste and the fortnightly collection and disposal of recyclables. Residential properties that are provided with a waste removal service will be charged a total of $284 per property in 2015/16.

Fire Services Levy: All Councils in Victoria are legislated to collect the Fire Services Levy on behalf of the State Government. This charge is required to be included in your rates.
Rates Waiver for eligible pensioners: Eligible pensioners who live alone in their own home and are solely responsible for the payment of rates and charges on that property will benefit from a rebate on their residential rate bill in the 2015/16 financial year. The City of Ballarat provides the rate relief to assist with cost of living pressures for older members of our community.

Have Your Say

The Draft Budget and Council Plan will be available to view from Monday, 18 May:
In person: City of Ballarat’s Customer Service Centre, 25 Armstrong Street South; Town Hall, Sturt Street Feedback must be received by 9am, Monday 15 June.