Swan Hill Rural City Council is inviting residents to have their say on future funding priorities, with community consultation now open for the 2027/28 Council Budget.
The consultation provides an opportunity for residents to share their ideas, identify community priorities and help inform how Council plans and allocates funding for the future.
Council's Director Corporate Services, Stephen Fernando, said the consultation offers two ways for the community to get involved.
"Residents can submit ideas for future projects, initiatives or programs they would like Council to consider.
They can also take part in an interactive budget allocation exercise to tell us how they would prioritise spending across Council services.
"The budget exercise puts residents in Council's shoes, challenging them to allocate a hypothetical $1,000 across a range of services. Each service must receive a minimum of $10, and the full $1,000 must be allocated.
"It's a practical way for residents to consider the competing priorities and decisions involved in developing Council's annual budget.
"Council does not have an unlimited budget, and if any new projects are to be funded, we have to figure out what gets unfunded," Mr Fernando said.
Swan Hill Rural City Council Mayor Cr Stuart King said community input was an important part of the budget planning process.
"We want to hear what matters most to our community, whether that's an idea for a new project, improvements to an existing service or feedback on where Council should be directing its resources.
"Community consultation helps us better understand local priorities and ensures residents have an opportunity to contribute before budget decisions are made.
"While we need to balance community aspirations with our responsibility to remain financially sustainable, the feedback we receive will play an important role in informing our future planning and investment decisions.
"I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to get involved and help shape the future of our municipality," Cr King said.
Community submissions are open until Sunday, 18 October 2026
