Council's consistent message to government is that our community deserves the same standard of services, facilities, and infrastructure as our metro cousins.
Some people may be surprised to learn that more than 50 per cent of Council's revenue comes from government grants.
It is therefore vital that we constantly advocate for our fair share.
But to get what we want, we have to know what we want.
The Horsham Rural City Talks 20-year Community Vision engagement is the perfect opportunity for all members of our municipality to share what is important to you. Council wants to hear what you love about living here, what could be improved and what you think Horsham Rural City should aspire to look like in 2041.
It is my expectation that a long list of priorities will emerge from this engagement. This will form the foundation for future investigations, planning and funding applications.
I think residents would have seen and heard more about government grants this year than ever before.
Both the Victorian and Federal Governments have provided significant additional funding and grant opportunities to our municipality to help in the COVID recovery.
It is important to note that funding received in the form of a grant is not transferable. For example, if money is applied for and received to build female friendly sports facilities, it is not an option for Council to simply spend that money on an entirely different project.
Similarly, Councils can only apply for whatever specific funding programs are on offer. If successful, strict timeframes and guidelines must be followed.
Victorian Government grants are also competitive, with the other 78 councils competing with us for the limited pool of funds.
The window of opportunity to attract funding for our region can be narrow. So it pays to have a plan.
Council does have a plan – in the form of a list of projects that have been identified as important to our community.
Before a future project can make it to this wish list, it firstly has to have community support and meet strict criteria, and have a strong chance of success in this competitive environment.
It is an honour to be advocating, on behalf of this community, for the services, facilities and infrastructure that we deserve and meet our diverse needs now and into the future.
