Draft budget adopted featuring $1.1 million pandemic support fund

Draft budget adopted featuring $1.1 million pandemic support fund

Published on 29 July 2020

Council adopted its Budget Report 2020/21, Strategic Resource Plan 2020/21 and Council Plan 2017-2027 (Year 4), incorporating the Health and Wellbeing Plan and Disability Action Plan at its July Ordinary Council Meeting.

A $1.1 million recovery fund to support the community and local business impacted by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is a key feature of the 2020/21 budget. The fund includes support measures to help the community and local business recover from the pandemic, including additional funding for Council’s existing grant programs, waiver of footpath permit renewals for businesses with current permits, support for a business phone counselling service, and backing for programs supporting volunteers and vulnerable people.

The budget and associated documents were available for public comment throughout June. Forty-nine submissions were received and considered by Council, with many submitters speaking to Councillors directly at the Submitters Committee meeting on 8 July.

When Council considered the budget they made a number of changes, based on feedback from the Community which included:

The allocation of funds from public open space reserves to Wyralla Reserve Stage 2, Romsey Golf Course couching, levelling, filling and drainage works and for five new interpretive signs at Stanley Park Reserve; and The allocation of funds to Stage 1 of a Riddells Creek Movement Network Study.

Council also endorsed recommendations to incorporate grants into the budget that have become available since the release of the draft document and to add additional lines to the final financial statement which reflect the Local Government Model Financial Report as well as incorporating a forecast 2019/20 actual into the final documents.

Mayor, Cr Janet Pearce said that being able to maintain a balanced budget, where income equalled expenditure, provide funding to support the community to recover from the pandemic and still incorporate a range of new projects in 2020/21 for the community was a positive outcome.

The budget includes $23.6 million in capital works projects across the shire which will provide a much-needed boost for the local economy and maintain and create jobs. New capital works include a contribution to a new kindergarten in Kyneton, the next stage of the Romsey Ecotherapy park, new netball courts in Woodend, oval lighting at Lancefield Park, a continuation of works to build the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Precinct in New Gisborne, and a range of renewal works at other community facilities along with the annual roads and footpaths improvement programs.

A two per cent rate rise, in line with the state-imposed rate cap, was adopted. The average rate increase for a household in the shire will be 2.5% inclusive of the waste charge. This is around $57 for the average household or around $1 per week.

Once changes have been incorporated, the final documents will be made available on this website at Council Plan and Budget

For more information, call (03) 5422 0333 or view the meeting livestream