Put in your two cents on next Council budget

THE City of Greater Bendigo is inviting residents to complete a survey about what matters most to them regarding the City’s 2026–2027 Budget.

The budget funds over 60 services including bin collections, looking after parks and gardens, road maintenance, early learning centres, public events and tourism, planning and environmental health services, plus arts venues such as the Ulumbarra Theatre.

The City also maintains $3.4 billion worth of community infrastructure, including bridges and recreational facilities.

Approximately 60 per cent of the budget’s revenue is derived from rates, with the remainder coming from charges, user fees and grants.

Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf encouraged residents to take part in the survey.

“The City doesn’t have as much money available to fund new projects compared to pre-COVID times,” she said.

“Costs have gone up a lot more than our income over the past five years and that gap is increasing.

“With increasing needs in our community and rising costs including materials and other expenses, we may need to consider further options for managing costs in the future.

“The 2026–2027 Budget survey is available on our online engagement platform Let’s Talk Greater Bendigo, and feedback will be reviewed alongside other Budget factors, including existing commitments and multi-year projects.

“It’s also important to realise that Budget planning is ongoing and shaped by community input all year-round, not just this public engagement at the end of each year.”

The survey closes on 20 October and can be completed on the Let’s Talk Greater Bendigo platform.