Mayor’s Message - Friday 22 September 2023

The City of Ballarat’s budget process is changing – we’re looking to streamline the process and providing ample opportunity for everyone to shape the budget.  

In the coming weeks, you will have an opportunity to provide feedback and input into the development of the City of Ballarat’s 2024/25 Budget.

The earlier engagement process will ensure that we are better informed of residents’ priorities within the context of the Council Plan 2021-2025 prior to the development of the draft budget.

Community feedback obtained during this period will help inform us of the priorities outlined in the budget.  

We are actively seeking to improve consultation processes to ensure residents’ priorities are reflected in decision-making.  

Learnings from previous rounds of budget engagement suggest that engaging with the community after a draft budget has been prepared tends to create frustration and disengagement from the community. This is due to many people thinking the budget has already been completed and there is minimal opportunity for change.  

So, undertaking a more comprehensive engagement at the beginning of the budget process will provide residents with an opportunity to voice their priorities for the budget prior to its development.

The 2024/25 budget engagement period will begin on October 9 and will close on October 27.  

We welcome your input into our next budget as it reflects an engaged and empowered community committed to achieving a better Ballarat.

- Mayor Cr Des Hudson