Tell us your Budget ideas

Do you have a great idea for improving where you live, work or play – especially in our northern suburbs in the Corio Ward I represent on the City of Greater Geelong council?

Perhaps your community organisation or sporting club needs an upgrade to help it to grow. Maybe you know of a great initiative that would benefit from council support. Or you might have an idea to improve a local park or council facility.

If so, I urge you to submit your ideas for the City of Greater Geelong’s 2025–26 Budget.

We’re seeking insights from the Geelong community to ensure we allocate your ratepayer funds as effectively as possible to meet the needs of our growing city.

Ratepayers, residents, community groups, sporting clubs and local businesses are all welcome to contribute their ideas.

Your input is crucial, as it helps us better understand our community’s needs and shapes the way we fund community initiatives. It also impacts how we deliver essential services, such as recycling and waste collection, road maintenance, child and family services, park upkeep and environmental conservation.

Over the past few years, rising costs coupled with a cap on Council’s income from rates have meant we have had to be even more diligent in how we allocate funds, which makes this feedback more critical than ever.

More than 340 people had their say last year in the 2024–25 Budget community engagement.

This engagement led to changes to the draft budget that included additional upgraded netball facilities and female-friendly change facilities.

It also resulted in increased operating hours for the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre during winter.

As your Corio Ward councillor, I’m aware of many fantastic community groups, sporting clubs and grassroots initiatives making a profound impact every day in Geelong’s northern suburbs.

So I hope that northern Geelong residents take advantage of this opportunity to make their voices heard by advocating on behalf of these groups and initiatives in this year’s budget engagement.

Let’s work together to ensure the 2025–26 Budget aligns with the values and aspirations of our diverse community and meets the needs of all who call our city home.

To share your ideas and perspectives, visit our budget ‘Have Your Say’ webpage at yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/2025-26budgetideas before this important community engagement closes at 11.59pm on Friday, March 14.

The data collected will form a shortlist for Council to review in March 2025, which help inform how we allocate funding in the 2025–26 Budget.

Cr Anthony Aitken

Corio Ward,

City of Greater Geelong