{"id":1062,"date":"2022-06-14T11:53:41","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T01:53:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theadvocate.net.au\/?p=1062"},"modified":"2022-06-14T11:53:41","modified_gmt":"2022-06-14T01:53:41","slug":"feedback-sought-on-council-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theadvocate.net.au\/2022\/06\/14\/feedback-sought-on-council-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Feedback sought on council budget"},"content":{"rendered":"

ARARAT Rural City Council will kick off a series of face-to-face and online consultations next week as it seeks community feedback on its draft budget for 2022-23.<\/p>\n

Mayor Jo Armstrong said the draft Budget is about organisational efficiency and getting back to basics.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the past two years, we have tackled big-ticket projects,\u201d Cr Armstrong said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a result of our success, there is now housing underway in the Ararat East Development Zone, record investment delivered to improve freight efficiency on our rural roads, and a reactivated campus facility in Laby Street, otherwise known as the Ararat Jobs and Technology Precinct.<\/p>\n

\u201cCouncillors and officers have worked collaboratively to develop a draft budget that improves how council manages community amenity, including a community projects fund, improved public open spaces, footpaths and bike paths, waste charges and capital works,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cA major transformation project is the roll-out of a four-bin residential waste and recycling service, making Ararat a leader in managing waste sustainability,\u201d Cr Armstrong said.<\/p>\n

The Draft Budget 2022\/23 will allow council to invest $8.71 million in capital works projects, of which $1.5 million is directed to Council\u2019s Community Projects fund to ensure the continued improvement of community and recreational facilities to support community wellbeing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe community will notice that council\u2019s draft budget simply gets on with delivering our core services and key projects without imposing the pressures of volatility in the civil construction and building sectors on residents and ratepayers,\u201d Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tim Harrison said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve worked to develop key targets for financial performance and delivery that hold us accountable to our ratepayers.<\/p>\n

Dr Harrison said the budget and revenue and rating plan will enable council to restore fairness to ratepayers with a net-zero per cent increase in rates over the past five years.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, we need your feedback on how we can continue driving improvement to give the Ararat community the council services it deserves. Remember, your rates fund the budget, and our job is to do what is best for the community we live in,\u201d Dr Harrison said.<\/p>\n

Copies of the draft budget are available via www.engage.ararat.vic.gov.au .<\/p>\n

Submissions can be made via the Engage Ararat website, or by writing to Ararat Rural City Council – PO Box 246, Ararat, VIC, 3377, or emailing engage@ararat.vic.gov.au . Submissions are open until Friday 24 June at 5:00pm.<\/p>\n

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Information sessions\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Community Information Sessions are taking place at the following community venues:<\/p>\n