Liam McNally
The Bacchus Marsh Racecourse Recreation Reserve, Ballan Library and Bacchus Marsh Bowls Club are among the big winners in Moorabool council’s proposed 2023-24 budget.
Council adopted its draft budget at a meeting on April 5, with the document available for public feedback until May 4.
Council is proposing to spend $41 million on capital works next financial year, aimed at “a mix between the need to maintain existing infrastructure and build new assets to meet community expectations”.
The biggest billed project proposed in the budget is include $7.5 million for the Bacchus Marsh Racecourse Recreation Reserve, with $6 million going towards stage one of the pavilion, and $950,000 for stage two, and another $563,000 for cricket training nets.
Other major works include $5.9 million for a new Ballan Library, $5.2 million for a West Maddingley early years facility, and $3.4 million for the Bacchus Marsh Bowls Club Pavilion and Bowling Green.
The draft budget also plans for reconstruction of Hogan Road and Densley Street in Ballan for $1.8 million, a $1.6 million Bald Hill Redevelopment, $1.5 million for council’s annual reseal program, more than $850,000 to reconstruct Ballan-Egerton Road in Mount-Edgerton, and the renovation of Bungaree Oval for more than $640,000.
It is proposed that emergency services expenditure will drop from $3.68 million in 2022-23 to $205,000 in 2023-24 and road and off-road maintenance will reduce by $722,000.
Council said these reductions are due to major flood events in recent years which required funding injection that aren’t planned for in the proposed budget.
The draft budget also proposed reductions in education and care services by $246,000, and youth services by $200,000.
“Despite the financial challenge this poses, council is determined to maintain and enhance its services, while working within the cap. Council is also determined in its efforts to keep financial pressure on the community to a minimum,” the budget states.
