Council adopts 2026-2027 Budget

Published on 01 July 2026

2026-2027 Budget web tile.jpg

Corangamite Shire Councillors adopted the 2026-2027 Budget at their monthly meeting in Camperdown yesterday.

Mayor Kate Makin said preparing a budget was never easy and this year was no exception.

"There's been many robust conversations around the table regarding this budget and it's very tight. It's very lean, as I would say, but I think we've done the best that we could. We’ve had to balance increasing costs, growing community expectations, under significant financial pressures, while continuing to deliver services and infrastructure our community relies on every day. So the pains are real and like every other person in this state at the moment, we all have to rein it in and make sure we live within our means as well.

“This budget isn't about just the year ahead. Is that making decisions that protect our long-term sustainability for this organization, to ensure future Councils have the capacity to respond to opportunities and challenges that will inevitably come about.”

Cr Geraldine Conheady moved the recommendation to adopt the Budget.

“We can happily say that we are continuing to maintain financial stability and continuing to deliver quality services that remain a strong focus in the 26-27 budget,” Cr Conheady said.

“While we're running a small operating deficit of $2 million, that is somewhat a consequence of the constrained environment that we currently are in. Our key performance indicators are healthy, and we have an increased allocation in our capital works program with $19.5 million, which is pretty good for a council our size.

“The Capital Works Program includes implementing our Early Years plan, which is mandated by the State. We're getting on the front foot with that. Our grants program remains strong and we’ve allocated almost $10 M to our roads. We don't have any new borrowings and I think that we've done pretty well to develop a budget like the one we have without doing that.”

Deputy Mayor Laurie Hickey, who seconded the motion, said the Budget had been agonised over for months in a particularly tough environment.

“We've seen costs rise. Government funding isn't keeping pace with those costs and we're seeing a lot of a lot of services and costs being shifted onto local councils,” Cr Hickey said.

“On top of that, contractors and materials remain a challenge putting pressure on the budget to complete our works and community expectations that we continue to provide the services that's demanded to the acceptable level is a balancing act that comes forward when we're preparing the budget. We also see our community recovering from drought and fires from earlier in the year.

“Rate capping in place means we can't just put rates up willy nilly to cover our costs. It means we need to make very, very careful choices and very fair choices. We need to focus on what matters and make sure that every dollar is spent wisely for the best in the best interests of the Shire.”

Key elements of the budget include:

  • A $19.05 million capital works program, including:
    • $9.95 million for road renewal and upgrades
    • $3.9 million for plant and fleet replacement
    • $2.0 million investment in Naroghid landfill
    • $1.2 million for buildings and facility upgrades (including early years facilities and ageing pool assets)
  • Continued investment in community facilities, safety and asset condition data
  • Targeted economic development projects including planning, tourism and car parking initiatives as part of $2.2 million of operating projects
  • Ongoing support for the community with over $320,000 in grants and events funding

Rates are proposed to increase by 2.75% in line with the State Rate Cap, with waste charges rising by 6.86% reflecting increased State levies, collection costs, and fuel costs.

Over the next year, this budget will enable Council to:

  • Implement the Urban Street Tree Asset Management program;
  • Rehabilitate Cross Forest Road and Fords Road;
  • Implement swimming pool renewal audit findings;
  • Complete community fire recovery activities;
  • Implement energy and water efficiencies at Council facilities;
  • Implement the Early Years Plan 2025-2035;
  • Upgrade Terang Stadium;
  • Bond Street, Cobden, sealing from Grayland Street to Camperdown-Cobden Road;
  • Replace the timber deck of the Peters Road bridge;
  • Map roadside vegetation and weeds;
  • Replace town and locality signs; and
  • Refresh the Council website.

Major road rehabilitations:

  • Cross Forest Road, Naroghid (2.03 km)............................................ $1,278,000
  • Fords Road, Princetown (1.1 km)......................................................... $637,000
  • Cemetery Road, Cobden 604 (1.25 km)............................................... $604,000
  • Shenfields Lane, Cobden (1.1 km)....................................................... $481,000
  • Cooriemungle Road, Cooriemungle (800 m)........................................ $464,000
  • Old Geelong Road, Gnotuk (650 m)..................................................... $381,000
  • Ansons Road, Purrumbete (500 m)...................................................... $277,000
  • Estcourt Street, Terang (200 m)........................................................... $241,000
  • Bond Street, Cobden
    (Sealing Grayland Street to Camperdown-Cobden Road)................... $405,000

The full document can be found here.

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