City of Ballarat has received an underwhelming public response on their 2018/2019 draft budget, before it is formally adopted next week.
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Only one member of the public made a verbal submission on the draft budget at Wednesday’s special council meeting,
Released on May 22 for public consultation, the draft budget includes a 2.25 per cent rate rise, as well as an increase of more than 12 per cent for the annual waste levy to $339.51.
Former mayor John Barnes said in his submission said the budget was released “so late that there is effectively no time to allow substantial changes” and still make statutory reporting obligations.
“This sends the public the message that it is a done deal and there is no point making submissions,” he said.
Mr Barnes also said the forecast $0 for asset renewal in the 2020/21 financial year was “unacceptable”, and council officers hadn’t clarified “confusing” mistakes and mislabeled tables in the draft strategic resource plan.
City of Ballarat’s chief financial officer Glen Kallio said at the meeting no new borrowings for the next six years because no major infrastructure projects had been identified.
“At the time of doing this year’s draft budget, there were no additional major projects council have highlighted they want funded at this stage,” he said.
City of Ballarat’s director of environment and infrastructure Terry Demeo told the meeting the city’s controversial proposed parking plan, which would cost council around $500,000 for new signage and parking meters, was not included in the draft budget because it wasn’t a “committed council proposition at this point”.
The 2018/2019 budget will be considered and adopted by councillors at special council meeting on June 27.