We have not only taken the Ballarat Our Future community engagement into account, but also last year's budget submissions - particularly around integrated transport, environmental and youth issues.

You have told us what's important to you; you want us to focus on delivering the basics - roads, footpaths, cycling infrastructure and services such as waste collection. This draft budget reflects that.

You told us you want us to focus on delivering key infrastructure and services, while managing growth in a sustainable way.

You also want a strong focus on the environment.

This draft budget responds to that. It also ensures equitable and targeted investment in some of our more established suburbs, such as Sebastopol, Delacombe, Wendouree and Miners Rest, which have ageing or inadequate infrastructure.

While last year's budget responded to devastating COVID-19 impacts, this year's reflects a growth, renewal and project and services delivery focus.

Ballarat was one of only 13 Victorian councils to adopt a 2020-21 rate freeze in response to COVID-19.

Rates this year will increase by 1.5 per cent in line with the Victorian government's rate cap.

Last year was a one-off due to exceptional circumstances.

If Ballarat was to freeze rates again this year, we would not have sufficient income to spend on local services and project delivery.

However, commercial and industrial rates will be reduced. In the 12 months to January 2021, values for residential, rural residential and farm properties increased at a higher rate than commercial and industrial properties.

Therefore, residential, rural residential and farm properties will share a greater proportion of the 2021-22 rate burden and commercial and industrial rates will be reduced.

Over the next four years, council will reduce commercial and industrial property rates to bring them in line with other regional cities.

Following a COVID-19 related zero per cent waste charge increase last year, 2020-21 will see a 14.75 per cent waste charge increase.

This is due to rising waste collection costs and a significant Environment Protection Agency levy increase, which has more than doubled to $105 a tonne.

Part of the waste charge will be used to set up a "waste reserve" to invest in crucial infrastructure to divert and recover resources.

This initiative will support Ballarat's circular economy transition, in line with community calls for increased sustainability emphasis.

This budget also marks a new approach to reporting carry overs (funds unused during a financial year which are transferred to the following year's budget).

This year, $38 million of undelivered capital works, including state and federally funded projects, have been included in the draft budget to ensure transparency and show our commitment to project delivery.

The draft budget includes zero borrowings - while still spending the balance of $10 million borrowed in 2019-20 to fast-track sports infrastructure.

The draft budget also includes a $130.9 million capital program, including carryovers, and features $90 million to maintain the near $2 billion of public council assets, such as roads, bridges and buildings.

The draft budget features $8.8 million in road renewal funding.

Our rural road spend will increase by $900,000 - from $1.3 million last budget to $2.2 million. It's a critical infrastructure investment.

We're also investing $800,000 on cycling plan implementation, $1 million for integrated transport and a $1.6 million footpath investment - a direct response to your feedback. Other big ticket items include:

Projects delivered in partnership with the state and federal governments include:

We will host community information sessions in coming weeks.

To provide feedback, go to /mysay.ballarat.vic.gov.au/budget-2021-2022 by Monday, June 7.

Cr Daniel Moloney is Ballarat mayor.