In preparation for the 2026/27 Budget, the City of Ballarat is inviting the community to explore how the annual budget is developed, and how it funds the services, projects, and infrastructure residents rely on.
This is an opportunity to better understand Council's Integrated Planning Framework, how funding is allocated, and check whether community priorities identified in 2024 are still on track.
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the engagement process is about making the budget more accessible and showing residents how their priorities are reflected in decision-making.
"We know the budget can feel complicated, but this is a chance to see how decisions are made and why some priorities are fixed while others can adapt to community input," she said.
"We want residents to feel informed and connected to how Council invests, because these are ultimately the services and projects that their rates make possible."
The budget is not created in isolation. It draws on Council's adopted strategies, frameworks, and long-term commitments, and must align with the Council Plan 2025-2029 and the Community Vision 2025-2035.
It's the financial expression of these guiding documents, showing how resources are allocated to deliver the services, projects, and priorities that matter most to the community.
Key facts about the Council budget:
- Council delivers more than 80 services to the community, including waste and recycling, local roads and maintenance, maternal and child health, early learning, parks, gardens, arts, venues, and animal management.
- Around 70 per cent of Council's income comes from rates and user fees, with the remainder from government funding and grants.
- About 70 per cent of revenue is spent on everyday services such as waste collection, maintaining local roads, parks, libraries, and maternal and child health. The other 30 per cent funds capital works, including upgrades and new projects like community hubs, sports facilities, and arts venues.
Council manages more than $2.5 billion in community assets and, like households, faces rising costs. Preparing a sustainable budget means balancing revenue with careful planning, cost efficiencies, and strategic borrowing all while operating within the State Government's rate cap system.
Community consultation is now open until Friday, 31 October. Residents are also invited to attend drop-in sessions at the Phoenix Customer Service Centre, 25 Armstrong Street South, Ballarat Central, to speak directly with the City of Ballarat Finance team:
- Monday, 20 October, 2pm-5pm
- Wednesday, 22 October, 9am-12pm
- Tuesday, 28 October, 2pm-5pm
- Thursday, 30 October, 9am-12pm
