An economically responsible budget focussed on delivering outcomes for the Baw Baw Shire community was adopted at a Special Council Meeting on Wednesday 19 June.
Council's Annual Budget 2024/25 was among a suite of strategic documents endorsed today, following an extensive public consultation period throughout April and May where 109 people provided their thoughts and feedback, some of which spoke publicly at a Council meeting held in May to hear the submissions.
At today's meeting, Council adopted the following documents:
- Annual Budget 2024/25
- Revenue and Rating Plan 2024/25,
- Draft Financial Plan 2024/25 - 2033/34,
- Draft Revised Council Plan 2021 - 2025 and,
- Long Term Infrastructure Plan 2024/25 - 2033/34
This year's operating budget includes expenditure of $107.03 million, alongside the 2024/25 Capital Works Program, also known as the Long-Term Infrastructure Program (LTIP), which will deliver $41.2 million of projects across the financial year. The LTIP provides community facilities, assets, and infrastructure to service the current and emerging needs of the community and this year includes funding for major streetscaping, road upgrades, refurbished playgrounds and tree planting, public lighting renewal, toilet block and footpath upgrades and so much more.
Baw Baw Shire Mayor Cr Annemarie McCabe said she was proud of the new annual budget, which was strongly focussed on the future of the Shire and catering for the rapid growth being experienced in the area.
"Council continues to balance delivering and providing our community with the services and infrastructure they depend on, while also navigating a somewhat unpredictable and high-cost economic environment," Cr McCabe said.
"I would like to thank everyone who gave their contributions during the community consultation phase, and also highlight the fact that several projects were added to our budget as a result of community submissions, two being an additional storage shed at Longwarry Recreation Reserve and new shelters at the Burke Street Netball Precinct in Warragul."
Cr McCabe added that in light of its own budget being delivered, Council is still heavily reliant on support from other levels of government.
"We remain strong in our advocacy efforts and commitment and continue to seek additional funding and grants from both the State and Federal Governments," the Mayor said.
"Baw Baw Shire Council received its largest funding grant for a capital works project when we received a funding boost of $14.5 million from the Federal Government's Growing Regions Program towards the construction of the Baw Baw Culture and Connection Precinct, which is also a major highlight of the Long-Term Infrastructure Plan 2024/25."
Other highlights in this year's budget include:
- Drouin Recreation Reserve Oval Redevelopment: $3.6 million
- Stage 2 of the Rokeby – Noojee Trail upgrade: $2.1 million
(jointly funded between Council and the Victorian Government)
- Copelands Road Warragul upgrade: $2.05 million
- Warragul Streetscape Works (Queen Street): $1.2 million
- Gardner and Holman Road sealing, Drouin: $1.75 million
- Dowton Park Pavilion Upgrade, Yarragon: $1.3 million
- Rollo Street Masterplan Project, Yarragon: $1 million
- Construction of an additional storage shed at Longwarry Recreation Reserve, Longwarry: $0.17 million
- New shelters at the Burke Street Netball Precinct, Warragul: $0.07 million
This year was also the first time that Council undertook its community engagement for the Draft Budget via its online engagement portal, Baw Baw Connect.
Offering enhanced flexibility and a user-friendly interface, a Draft Budget hub was created, allowing for each of the key documents to have a separate page complete with submission capability, fact sheets, FAQs and concise, easy to follow information.
To view the Annual Budget 2024/25, or the other adopted documents, visit www.bawbawconnect.com.au/budget.
