Community continues to have its say on 2026/2027 Draft Budget
Ararat Rural City Council is encouraging residents, businesses, and community groups to provide feedback on its Draft Budget 2026/2027 via Engage Ararat before submissions close at 5 pm on Friday 24 April. A series of in-person township and drop-in consultation sessions has now concluded, but community members still have more than three weeks to review the proposals and lodge their comments online.
The Draft Budget outlines the highest capital works investment ever proposed by Council, with 15.8 million dollars allocated to infrastructure projects across the municipality. This represents an increase on the 15.5 million dollar program delivered in 2024/2025 and the 14.7 million dollar program in 2019/2020, reflecting Council’s long-term focus on improving roads, community facilities, drainage, and township amenities.
At the same time, the Draft Budget proposes a modest 2.25 percent rate increase, which is 0.5 percent below the Victorian rate cap and compares favourably to many other councils’ increases. The approach continues Council’s emphasis on responsible financial management, delivering an extensive capital program while keeping cost pressures on ratepayers as low as possible.
Community priorities are reflected through continued support for free access to outdoor pools, libraries, arts, events, and youth programs, alongside targeted investments in community infrastructure such as recreation reserves, walking tracks, and local roads. The Draft Budget also maintains funding for initiatives that enable housing growth, including infrastructure at the Prestige Mill site, and services that support families and young people.
Ararat Rural City Council CEO, Dr Tim Harrison, said the Draft Budget demonstrates Council’s ongoing commitment to delivering strong outcomes for the community while living within its means.
“Over the past seven budget cycles we have been very deliberate about how we manage every dollar, and this Draft Budget continues that story of doing the basics well, investing where it counts, and avoiding unnecessary shocks for households,” Dr Harrison said. “A record 15.8 million dollar capital works program, combined with one of the lowest rate rises in the sector, is a clear sign that we are putting grant funding and our own resources to work for local people.”
“We heard a wide range of views during our face-to-face sessions, from roads and drainage, to recreation facilities, to the importance of keeping pools, libraries, and arts programs accessible to everyone,” he said. “I would strongly encourage anyone who could not get to a session to jump onto Engage Ararat, look through the documents, and tell us what they think.”
The Draft Budget and supporting information, including a Budget Snapshot, are available at engage.ararat.vic.gov.au, where community members can make an online submission or provide comments directly through the project page. Written submissions are open until 5 pm on Friday 24 April, ahead of the Draft Budget 2026/2027 being considered for adoption at the May Council Meeting.
