The most widely discussed issue was the worsening recycling situation affecting many councils across Victoria. The City of Ballarat is one of 31 councils affected by last week's temporary closure of the plants operated by SKM, its main recycling contractor. A potential buyer is said to be hovering as the troubled company seeks funds to pay off its debts.

Councillor Ben Taylor referred to $5million budgeted for the All-Waste Interchange, with plans for a materials sorting facility that would give the council more control over the way it handles and sorts recycling materials.

The council's director for infrastructure and environment Terry Demeo said that council had identified a site for the interchange in the Ballarat West Employment Zone, but needed to go through the process of confirming its use as it is on crown land.

"We have the opportunity to do something and we are not getting the support," Cr Taylor responded. "This is urgent."

Cr Mark Harris said it was "time for state government to get off its arse", accusing them of creating "a policy vacuum" and demonstrating a "failure of governance".

Councillor Grant Tillett said he would like to see more development of local businesses that could use sorted recycled materials.

Councillor Belinda Coates said she agreed with the urgency and also wanted to stress the importance of avoiding waste in the first place.

Several councillors highlighted the need for residents to continue recycling as usual.

A motion was passed for council to request a deputation with the Premier, the Treasurer and local MPs to seek support.

One public question proved a particular point of discussion. Bruce Crawford of Redan, who was left out of pocket after a street tree fell on a power line outside his home late last year, asked why nothing was done after the structure of the tree was deemed "poor" in a 2014 report.

He also queried why there was such a high threshold for payments under the Victorian Road Management Act "regardless of liability."

Mr Demeo said the council had a rigorous tree management regime, adding that he could understand Mr Crawford's frustration with the insurance policy regime.

"That's certainly cold comfort but it's the position council has to take," he said.

In follow-up questions, councillor Daniel Moloney, asked if there was any flexibility in the council's approach to such claims - especially ones such as this, which he said were "blatantly unfair".

Cameron Montgomery, the council's manager of safety, risk and compliance services, said Mr Crawford's claim needed to be seen in the context of hundreds of others.

He said if discretion were exercised with every claim "it would be a very costly exercise".

Cr Moloney also asked why there was a deed of release needed to be signed if there was no flexibility about the sums paid out. Mr Montgomery said it was good practice and formed "part of a normal process for any insurance claim".

When it was finally considered, the first council report provided the most uplifting moment of the evening.

Councillors heard a submission from Josha-Lyn Gibson, now a Bachelor of Arts student at Federation University, who spoke in favour of a recommendation to support Clemente Ballarat, a program that helps people who have faced hardships go on to tertiary education. Ms Gibson, who became a carer for her mother at the age of 16, said the program "turned my life around".

"If I hadn't been given this opportunity, I know I would be on a very different path in life."

Councillors unanimously approved the recommendation to provide $15,000 each year to the program, which is also supported by Australian Catholic University, Federation University, Centacare, The Smith Family, and The Ballarat Foundation, over the next five years.

More contentious was a recommendation to ask the CEO to seek expressions of interest for bank loans, after a low-interest $10 million loan promised last year by state government failed to materialise.

Glenn Kallio, the council's director of business services, said he hoped the state government would "still come to the party" but said the other quotes would act as a back-up. The funds are intended to fast-track sporting infrastructure projects around the city - focusing on soccer clubs as well as upgrading women's changing rooms.

Councillor Amy Johnson said she was "flabbergasted" about the delay, and criticised the conditions the state government attached to the loan.

Deputy Mayor Jim Rinaldi spoke in favour of seeking the loan, saying the funds would be about getting more people playing sport.

Crs Johnson, Taylor and Harris voted against the recommendation, each saying they opposed the council extending its debts. However, the recommendation was carried.

Mr Kallio said council officers were due to meet with state treasury officials today (Thursday).

The official verdict of Victoria's Valuer General was endorsed by councillors in what was described as a "procedural motion". It means that the Capital Improved Value (CIV) of residential properties in the city, which make up more than 80 per cent of properties across Ballarat, rose by 9.1 per cent in 2018.

The City of Ballarat council uses the official CIV to calculate rates notices. A change in law means that Valuer General now assesses every year, pegging rates more closely to house prices. The values for this assessment related to house prices on January 1 this year.

The CIV for commercial properties has risen up 3.4 per cent; industrial properties increased by 6.4 per cent; and rural properties went up 4.9 per cent.

As reported recently in The Courier, the valuation means that those living in properties that have seen the highest increases in house prices in 2018 are likely to see the steepest increase in their rates notices.

Anybody whose residential property has increased in value by more than 5.7 per cent is likely to pay more this year than last, while those living in properties with values increasing at a steadier rate will see their rates bill drop.

Both Crs Harris and Moloney expressed concerns for ratepayers facing large increases this year.

Some residents have already begun receiving their rates notices.

READ MORE: Ballarat rates set to sting up-and-coming suburbs

A petition with 27 signatories from the residents of Talbot Street North was referred to the City of Ballarat's CEO for consideration. In their petition, residents requested that the current parking limits and permits not be changed.

The council's new parking plan was adopted earlier this year after extensive discussions and public debate. A change in parking restrictions is currently being put in place throughout "Zone 2" on the fringes of the CBD, while changes to the technology and pricing of CBD parking are due to be installed later.

Cr Harris spoke in support of receiving the petition and referring it to the CEO for a response. He said it was important the community understood there would be no increase in revenue. He also said petitions such as this help the council fine tune the parking across the city. "It's not set in stone," he said.

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