Mayor’s Column: Cr Stephanie Asher from the City of Greater Geelong, April 30

SINCE our election to the council in 2017, the three Bellarine Ward councillors have worked very hard to make sure ratepayers in our local towns receive their fair share of investment in this area.
With the help of the passionate community associations and local clubs and groups across the Bellarine, we managed to secure funding for a strong range of projects in the 2019-20 budget.
I’m now incredibly pleased to say the Bellarine has again featured strongly in our draft 2020-21 budget, which was released for public feedback earlier this week.
Even in a very difficult financial environment it was important for the council, as one of the major investors and drivers of employment in the region, to continue to invest in new facilities and infrastructure for our community. Doing so will help kickstart our local economy and fast-track our recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.
Investment in these community-driven projects is also a wonderful way to give residents something to look forward to during a very challenging time. It’s a little reminder that this miserable period will end and eventually we’ll all be back out doing what we love with our friends and family.
In response to direction from the state government to provide a stimulus budget not a surplus, that’s the view the council has taken. The good news is that the Bellarine Peninsula will be a key beneficiary.
The draft budget includes funding for a wonderful range of projects – many that have been long-awaited by our community.
The headliner for me and I’m sure for many others is the $750,000 to begin work on a new 50-metre pool in Drysdale. Added to the $10 million commitment from the federal government, this project is now locked in – a brilliant result.
There’s also funding for a new cricket pitch at Shell Reserve in Ocean Grove, the major redevelopment of Portarlington Recreation Reserve, a new shared trail at Beacon Point Reserve in Clifton Springs, an offroad trail along Thirteenth Beach Road, a regional community and learning hub in Drysdale, a focus on protecting the rural and peri-urban community, and a renewal of the Potato Shed multi-arts facility.
That’s just a snapshot – to view further projects funded, please head to geelongaustralia.com.au/yoursay where you can read the draft budget in full and tell us what you think.
Of course, those positive projects don’t remove the sad reality that this is an incredibly difficult time for many people.
Direct coronavirus relief is a major focus of this budget – in fact, it will continue to be the council’s highest priority. We’ve announced around $5 million in support so far, with a further package to come in June.
To support those relief efforts and the important capital projects program I’ve already touched on, the draft budget forecast is for a deficit of around $8 million.
Importantly, we accepted a deficit approach following strong encouragement from local MPs. This will help cushion some of the broader impact on the community, however we also know there will still be many people who will struggle to pay their rates over the coming months.
For anyone who has been badly impacted, our COVID-19 Financial Hardship Policy offers the opportunity for some relief.
We strongly encourage anyone having difficulty paying their rates to contact the team on 5272 5272 or by emailing [email protected] to discuss their options.
Overall we feel this is a budget that provides good balance between supporting our community through the immediate impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and investing in projects to help drive our economy’s emergence out the other side.
All three Bellarine councillors are particularly pleased to see strong, intelligent and persistent advocacy from our local community paying off with funding for many initiatives across our beautiful peninsula.
Cr Stephanie Asher
Mayor, City of Greater Geelong