Council adopts budget and council plan

Indigo Shire Council has adopted its new four-year Council Plan, revised Community Vision and 2025/26 Budget, delivering on community priorities while navigating significant state-imposed financial pressures. Mayor Sophie Price said the documents have been directly shaped by what residents across the shire told council were most important through extensive community engagement initiatives. "Our engagement reached 1900 community members, with 284 active contributors providing clear direction on their priorities," Cr Price said. "Their responses reinforced the need for us to focus on road maintenance, infrastructure renewal, and community wellbeing, priorities that have directly shaped our budget." She said despite significant financial pressures facing all Victorian councils, Indigo Shire has delivered a budget that maintains all current services while introducing several important new initiatives. Cr Price said the rate increase comprises two distinct components. "The first is the standard 3 per cent rate cap increase set by the Victorian Government and the remaining 4.54 per cent is not new money for council, it's the exact same amount we would have collected through our Environmental Management Contribution, just collected differently as required by the Minister for Local Government's best practice guidelines," Cr Price said. “This change does not increase council's total revenue by a single dollar and was approved by the Essential Services Commission as genuinely revenue-neutral. "We want to be completely transparent with our community. "This change simply moves how we collect the same amount from a flat fee to a property value-based system. "It's a requirement of state government policy, not a decision to raise additional funds." The budget includes an $11.87M Capital Works program of which $3.3M is being carried forward from the current budget to complete projects already approved. Roads and Infrastructure (Community's Top Priority - 73.4% rated "very important") $4.6M for new, renewed, and upgraded roads, bridges, and pathways. $200,000 increase in road maintenance funding. $750,000 for the replacement of McFeeters Road bridge in Beechworth. $90,000 to provide a footpath link from the new Rutherglen aged care facility to the town centre. Community Facilities $500,000 (in addition to $100,000 in the current budget) to replace the roof at the Beechworth Town Hall. $180,000 to repair the roof at the Burke Museum. $1M to upgrade facilities at the Rutherglen Caravan Park. $250,000 for a new pump track at Yackandandah (grant funded). Community Enhancement $90,000 for streetscape beautification works across the shire. $25,000 for trail maintenance to support expanded rail trail and mountain bike networks. $40,000 to plan for the future of the shire's tourism in preparation for World Heritage Listing.

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