For me, local government is about helping our neighbours. As councillors, we live in the communities we serve, and we’re deeply invested in them. The annual budget process is such an important part of our work, because it touches every service and program that our residents care about.
Since November, we’ve invited members of the community to provide their input into the budget process, either by making a budget submission, completing the online budget survey, or attending a budget thinktank session. Your feedback helps us understand what matters most to you as we make difficult choices. Over the next few months, staff and councillors will work together to draft a budget that incorporates your feedback and aims to best serve the needs and priorities of our communities.
People in our shire hold a range of views about the services and programs council should provide, and how much focus we should give to current needs compared with future sustainability. As councillors, we are elected to weigh those perspectives and make sure that every dollar we spend delivers value.
Since being elected, it’s been my ambition for the councillor group to grow our confidence in making informed financial decisions and understanding how those decisions impact council’s long-term sustainability. This means that council serves you not just today, but into the future.
To those who have provided input into the budget process, I thank you. I encourage you to keep engaging, not only in the budget process but throughout the year. Our decisions can’t always match everyone’s preferences, but your feedback helps shape the choices we make on behalf of everyone in Golden Plains Shire.