Net Zero Percent Rate Rise and Other Highlights from Council’s 2024/25 Draft Budget

The 2024/25 Draft Budget represents a continuation of Council’s financially responsible approach, which has been in place over the past six budget cycles.

The Draft Budget continues to return an efficiency dividend to the community through a net zero percent rate rise, and an ongoing commitment to renewing the community’s assets through a $15,513,000 investment in capital works.

Council will continue to deliver quality and timely outcomes through focusing on service delivery and capital works programs, and on in-house service provision.

The 2024/25 Draft Budget continues to reflect Council’s commitment to supporting service delivery, economic development, and responsible delivery of community and transport infrastructure during a period of volatile markets in the construction sector.

Highlights and new initiatives for 2024/25:

Net zero percent rate rise $6,250,000 investment in reconstructing at least six kilometres of Mt William Rd – a local road of regional significance to agriculture and tourism $100,000 commitment to delivery of young peoples’ programs across primary and secondary schools, primarily through the Crazy Ideas College $500,000 contribution to an ongoing partnership commitment to Ararat Housing Enterprise P/L $230,000 contribution to community infrastructure projects $400,000 investment in upgrading footpath network $100,000 to support a resident attraction program to support development of an increasingly skilled workforce for the municipality $200,000 to modernise and upgrade the Ararat Library $2,143,000 to reconstruct an initial two-kilometre section of Buangor Ben Nevis Rd, commencing at the Western Highway end $100,000 to support the successful, ongoing business façade program $1,461,000 to reconstruct sections of Webb St and Churchill Ave in Ararat $80,000 contribution to a $330,000 project to redevelop the Tatyoon sports oval; $250,000 is provide the Country Football and Netball funding stream. $1,800,000 towards renewing rural gravel roads through resheeting or sealing treatments such as Otta Seal $750,000 to fund Year Three of Council’s five-year commitment to improve urban drainage systems $239,000 to renew kerb and channel assets Ongoing commitment to developing key skills areas in the municipality through graduate and cadet appointments, and development of a trades apprenticeship program in 2024/2025 Continuing to fund free access to Outdoor Pools

"Now that the Draft Budget is out, it’s time to hear from our community,” says Ararat Rural City Council CEO, Dr Tim Harrison. “Your rates fund the projects we launch and the services we provide, so your ideas are crucial in driving improvement for every person in the community.” The full Draft Budget is available on the Engage Ararat website – www.engage.ararat.vic.au – where residents can also lodge their thoughts and comments about the document on a virtual pinboard.

Residents can also submit their comments by writing to Ararat Rural City Council – PO Box 246, Ararat, VIC, 3377 – or by emailing [email protected].

Council also encourages residents to attend one of the upcoming Town Hall Draft Budget Meetings, or drop into Council offices during the scheduled one-on-one information session day. All of these details can be found on the Ararat Rural City Council website.

Submissions are open until 11 June 2024 at 5pm.

Click the link below to view the full Draft Budget and have your say online:

Engage Ararat - Draft Budget 2024/2025

Click the link below to read the details of upcoming Town Hall Meetings to discuss the Draft Budget:

Town Hall Meeting Dates Set for Draft Budget Talk