While the Council has spent less money than planned on employee costs due to the number of vacancies, spending on short term agency and contract staff has more than outweighed the saving.

According to figures set out in the Council agenda ahead of the council meeting this Wednesday, they are $2.387 million below budget for the quarter on staff costs.

However, the report says “materials and contracts” - including money spent on agency staff - overspent by $2.613 million, resulting in a total overspend of $226,000 for the past three months.

A Council spokesperson said the vacancies related mainly to employees within the Council’s infrastructure and environment division.

A statement to The Courier reads: “The City of Ballarat is committed to delivering a range of essential services to Ballarat residents, including waste collection, road maintenance and regulatory services like local laws, parking enforcement, environmental and public health protection and building services.

“Where staff vacancies occur, particularly in these essential areas of the City’s operations, agency or contract staff may be employed to minimise disruptions of these essential services our residents rely on.”

“Overall, such vacancies are not limited to any one area of City's operations but the City must ensure continuity of services.”

The results included in the report are for the second quarter of the financial year and relate to the final three months until December 31 last year.

Otherwise, the report said supplementary rates had produced more income than expected, but outlined a $2.171m shortfall in income budgeted from capital grants.

However, the chief financial officer's report outlined “a positive financial position for Council” overall with no major financial issues "at this point in time".

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