No increase to rates, fees or charges in draft budget

CITY of Ballarat council has approved the 2020-2021 draft budget, indicating no increase to rates for the coming financial year.

At the first-ever completely online council meeting held on Wednesday, 6 May, the council passed the proposed budget outlining a zero per cent rate increase alongside no rise to fees and charges or the waste levy.

This is despite the State government’s rate cap being set at two per cent.

Mayor Cr Ben Taylor said not increasing rates “will affect future budgets” but is a necessary implementation for the community.

“As everyone’s hurting across the municipality, this is an opportunity that we can do something – even though it’s something small,” he said.

“We can say there is no increase on your rates this year and no increase on fees and services.”

Council noted that the effects of COVID-19 have caused for a $20 million cash shortfall, brought on by facility closures and drops in rate revenue.

In response council agreed on new borrowings of $17 million to help cover the impacts of the pandemic on the municipality’s bottom line.

Director of business services Glenn Kallio said the loan will be “designed around filling that cash flow shortage in the short term”.

“The local community has been hit very hard financially, a number of businesses have been closing, a number of people have lost their jobs,” he said.

“We expect that there is a greater number of people within the community that won’t have the capacity to pay rates when they’re due.

“We expect in both June this year and June next year that there will be a delay in receiving rates that are due and that’s what the $17 million is designed to cover.”

Cr Taylor said once restrictions are lifted, the council must lead the way in “kickstarting the economy”.

“We plan to commit to all of our major infrastructure projects started in previous budgets, including the Bakery Hill and Bridge Mall Precinct Urban Renewal Project, the Ballarat Central Library upgrade and the Carbon Neutrality and 100% Renewables Action Plan,” he said.

Cr Grant Tillett said he’s pleased with the work done by council officers in producing the budget.

“I believe that this is a worthy budget in unworthy times, and it’ll be interesting to see just what the community make of it while it’s on exhibition”, he said.

Cr Samantha McIntosh shared in Cr Tillett’s comments, urging the public to voice their concerns and questions.

“There’s a process that allows plenty of conversation, plenty of communication and then an opportunity for us as a group of councillors to hear what our community have said,” she said.

“What it does do is provide us with an option and a way forward in a very difficult time.”

As of Monday, 11 May the 2020-2021 draft budget is open to community consultation.

Written submissions must be received at Ballarat Town Hall, PO Box 655, Ballarat 3353 or sent via email to [email protected] by 9am Monday, 8 June.

The submissions will be presented at a special council meeting to be held on Wednesday, 24 June.