Ballarat community to have more say in 2024-25 budget

In an effort to shape the 2024-25 budget to the priorities of the community, City of Ballarat council has started the feedback process months in advance.

Council's corporate services director John Hausler explained the new approach to one of the most important documents put together by his office.

"The community is the eyes and ears of what's actually happening here," he said.

"We can't necessarily know and understand everything.

"Through running these consultation processes we hope to pick up the things that we aren't already aware of the things that we haven't heard the things that are important to our community members."

Rates make up a large part of the budget - in 2022-23 rates accounted for $143 million of revenue for the council.

Mr Hausler said rates are a foundational part of the budget.

"They go to everything," he said.

"Rates are subsidizing the costs of our growing city along with keeping the whole business running, paying for the services we currently deliver and looking after our assets."

Major projects for Ballarat include the Ballarat Central Library redevelopment, Her Majesty's Theatre redevelopment and Bridge Mall upgrades - all multimillion dollar projects years in the making.

The council's financial positions remains strong, despite ongoing living pressures and cost increases.

The council even delivered a surplus of $63 million in the most recent financial report for 2022-23.

Mr Hausler said the council was in a "solid" place financially.

"City of Ballarat is in a sound financial position," he said.

"Over the last 18 months we've been able to manage the significant financial pressures through the high inflationary environment of the construction industry.

"We regularly report to council we've been able to identify savings that actually not only offset those cost pressures that have been experienced, we've been able to manage cost pressures, but also reduce our need for future borrowing."

The 2023-24 budget was approved in June, with a capital works budget of $129 million, 3.5 per cent rates increase and no new loans.

The MySay survey is live now and will close on October 27.

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