Mayor's Message Thursday 27 May 2021

This week we held the first of two community briefings about the City of Ballarat’s 2021/22 Draft Budget at the Ballarat Town Hall.  

The community briefings, which I am hosting together with City of Ballarat Chief Executive Officer Evan King, are a new opportunity for community members to hear an in-depth presentation about the draft budget and the draft revenue and rating plan.  

Each year when we release our draft budget, we hold briefings for our local media to explain the detail and provide a chance to ask questions about what’s in it. This year we are extending the same opportunity to everyone.  

Community feedback through the Ballarat: Our Future project has helped shape this draft budget, and its focus on delivering key infrastructure and services while managing sustainable growth and prioritising our environment. 

I encourage anyone who wants to know more to register for the second briefing next Monday 31 May, which will held online from 5.30pm to 6.15pm.  

Registration is essential - you can do so by visiting the mysay page of the City of Ballarat website, clicking the draft budget tab and entering your details on the registration form.  

The community budget briefings are in addition to our usual draft budget submissions process. For anyone unable to attend the briefings, the draft budget is available in full on the mysay page of the City of Ballarat’s website. 

You’ll find details there on how to make a written submission about the draft budget before 7 June, including if you would like to support a written submission verbally at the unscheduled Council meeting on 9 June. 

Submissions received will help shape this and future City of Ballarat budgets.