Budget feedback heard

MOORABOOL Shire Council has received feedback from the community on its proposed budget for the 2024 to 2025 financial year.

Four written submissions to council’s Proposed 2024/25 Annual Budget were received at a 12 June Special Meeting.

Three of the four people that made submissions – Jacob White, Peter Le Lievre, and Steve Venditti-Taylor – addressed councillors.

Sport and recreation was a hot topic.

“The Wallace Recreation Reserve Committee of Management and Springbank Football Netball Club are the primary users of [Wallace Recreation Reserve and] along with the wider Springbank and Wallace community, would like to encourage council to give strong consideration to funding the proposed oval redevelopment as outlined in the business case submitted,” Mr White said.

“Throughout the Central Highlands Football League and wider community, our oval currently has the reputation of potentially the worst in the league during the winter months.

“Consistently relocating training, or even cancelling them due to weather to preserve the oval for game day, has both social and financial impacts which are detrimental to the club, and the health and wellbeing of individuals.”

Mr Le Lievre, the vice president of the Ballarat Cricket Association, asked the municipality to provide $8500 annually to both the Bacchus Marsh and Darley cricket clubs, “to support a fair and equitable competition and leverage the efforts and commitments of club volunteers.”

“The Moorabool-based cricket clubs of Darley and Bacchus Marsh have gone from small numbers playing on synthetic-based pitches, to large clubs now offering participation opportunities to many sections of the community,” he said.

“What we’re asking is for the clubs to get a modest amount of $17,000 in total, similar to Ballarat and Geelong, and to leverage the efforts of volunteers to prepare the turf wickets and purchase and maintain the capital equipment.”

Mr Venditti-Taylor called on council to undertake “a full audit on construction” of roads in Moorabool.

“With the Capital Works program, the $60 or $70 million you’re going to spend this year, to be completely honest, you need to maintain what you’ve already done,” he said.

“The wear and tear going on with our roads is unacceptable. You need to invest more money into maintenance around Bacchus Marsh.

“Something needs to change, something needs to give.”

A written submission was also provided by Thomas Shaw from the Bacchus Marsh Baseball Association, asking for support with the refurbishment of the baseball field at Masons Lane.

“The field has been deemed unsafe to play and this season the majority of players were not willing to risk time off work and time away from their family if they were to get injured playing on our ground. This is unacceptable that we cannot provide an even playing surface that is risk free to our players and visiting players,” Mr Shaw wrote.

“We need your support. We cannot continue without help.

“I estimate the field can be refurbished and made safe for under $20,000 with the help of council’s parks team.”

The proposed budget will be considered for adoption at another special meeting on Wednesday 26 June.