HAVING your say is a democratic right that only gets stronger with application.
With the release of the 2023/2024 Greater Shepparton City Council Draft Budget, Council is encouraging community members to submit their feedback, as a part of its ongoing commitment to community consultation, before its formal adoption on Tuesday June 20, 2023.
Community members and groups are invited to make submissions, respond to a questionnaire or provide general feedback on the budget via the Shaping Greater Shepp website or by taking up the opportunity to make a personal submission at Council on Tuesday, May 30.
As the community gathers its thoughts on the Draft Budget, Councillor Fern Summer posted a timely provocation on Facebook on Thursday, April 27, in ‘… the interests of transparency and avoiding backlash…’, to encourage the community to engage with the opportunity to have its say.
Stating, ‘…I wish to draw your attention to a few draft operating budget items that may go unnoticed …,’ Cr Summer highlighted a long list of proposed cuts to the Grants Program, which has substantially supported a range of vital community events, ventures and projects in the past.
Outlining that the slew of cuts collectively accounts for less than one percent of Council’s overall budget, Cr Summer listed the cuts as follows,
GRANTS PROGRAM
- Access and inclusion grants (not yet commenced) – from $60K to $30K
- Community matching grants – from $75K to $20K
- Community sustainability grants – from $25K to $0
- Business sustainability grants – from $25K to $0
- Heritage grants – from $80K to $40K
- New business grants – from $30K to $20K
- Shop front improvement program – $20K to $0
- Visitor economy and experience grants – from $30k to $0
- Our sporting future – from $160K to $0
SPONSORSHIPS
- St Georges Rd food festival – from $35K to $0
- Summer & winter city markets – $70K to $0
- Business awards – from $6k to $0
OTHER
- Illuminate – from $200K to $0
- Aboriginal street art – from $60K to $4K
- Activites in the park – from $88K to $44K
- Volunteer awards – $22.3K to $20K
You can make a submission, ask a budget question or find out more information about the 2023/2024 Draft Budget at www.shaping.greatershepparton.com.au/2023-2024-budget.
You can also learn more about Council’s commitment to engaging with community consultation at https://greatershepparton.com.au/council/consultation.
