Have your say on 2024-25 Council Budget

Published on 29 January 2024

Want to have a say on Glenelg Shire Council’s annual budget? February is your chance.

Council is changing the way it engages with the community in relation to the preparation of the annual budget, and this year is seeking community feedback in the development stages, rather than when the draft is made available for public comment in June.

Sessions will be held across the Shire between 6 and 21 February 2024, where the public will be able to discuss with Council staff what they would like the budget to look like.

For those unable to make one of these sessions, an online submission form will be available.

Chief Executive Officer Greg Wood said previously Council only considered public submissions after the draft budget was published for public comment – traditionally in May, with submissions heard in June.

This is a relatively short time before the final budget is adopted, making substantial changes difficult to incorporate, because legislation requires Council to adopt the budget before the end of June.

“The message I’d like to get across this year is that February is when we want to hear those submissions, which gives us more time to consider them before we prepare the draft budget,” he said.

Council wants to understand what services and programs were valued most by our community, and your ideas about how funds may be allocated across the Shire.

“Council also wants to know about specific projects, which align with the council plan, that you would like considered as part of the budget setting process,” Mr Wood said.

“The current financial climate may see a limited amount of money allocated to new initiatives.”

All survey submissions will be reviewed against the Council’s strategic priorities and budget.

Those ideas which satisfy these criteria will be considered by Council, for prioritising for funding in the 2024-25 budget or referred for consideration in subsequent years.

Online submissions will be through the Your Say Glenelg portal from 6 February, the date of the first information session.

Session dates (all run from 5pm to 6.30pm):

NELSON Tuesday 6 February, Nelson Hotel, 9 Leake St

DARTMOOR Wednesday 7 February, Dartmoor Hotel, 4 Lindsay Rd

HEYWOOD Wednesday 14 February, Council Offices, 77 Edgar St

CASTERTON Tuesday 20 February, Town Hall, 71 Henty St

PORTLAND Wednesday 21 February, Council Offices, 71 Cliff St