The City of Greater Geelong has opened the first stage of consultation for the upcoming 2026-27 Budget.
There are multiple ways for the community to have their say on the budget, including through submissions , completing a short survey , or attending one of the councillor listening posts , which will be held until the end of March.
Expressionsof interest are also open to join a community panel, with in-person sessions to be held on Saturday 21 March 2026 and Saturday 28 March 2026 from 10:00am - 4:00pm. Successful applicants will be informed in early March.
As part of the process, a Budget Discussion Paper has been released, highlighting the broader issues which will affect this year's budget, including rising costs, limits on rate increases set by the Victorian Government, and the City's status as the fastest-growing regional council in Victoria.
The City's new approach to budget consultation aims to commence community consultation earlier for more meaningful engagement, whereas previously, engagement took place as the budget was nearly complete.
This model has already been adopted by other councils across Victoria, and reflects reforms introduced by the Local Government Act 2020.
Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM:
The model for earlier engagement has already been successfully rolled out by other councils, and now, we're giving people the opportunity to view our discussion paper and start commenting even though it's only February.The new community panel will also play a key role in March, giving City officers the time to consider all of the input and suggestions.
Finance portfolio chair Councillor Andrew Katos:
There are so many ways to get involved in shaping this budget, from completing a short online survey to joining the community panel, and even coming along in person to one of the many councillor listening posts across our region.By capturing feedback from across the entire community, we'll ensure a representative budget while also recognising the financial challenges ahead.
Expressions of interest for the community panel close on Sunday 8 March 2026, while the online survey and submissions close on Friday 20 March 2026.
