July 6th, 2025Budget adoption

Hepburn Shire Council has formally adopted a suite of key strategic documents – including the 25/26 Budget, to guide the future of the shire.
They are the Council Plan 2025–2029, 2025/26 Budget, Financial Plan, Revenue and Rating Plan, and Asset Plan.
Mayor Cr Don Henderson said the shire was entering an important new chapter, “with a renewed commitment to improving our community responsiveness, providing essential services and ensuring our financial sustainability, and that is reflected in these plans”.
“The development of these important strategic documents has been informed significantly by our community. Through the work on the Financial Vision conducted last year, the community surveys held this year, and the work of our Deliberative Engagement Panel, we have been able to incorporate a broad range of perspectives.”
The council received nearly 200 community submissions during the final consultation period, with most community members focused on shaping the Council Plan and Budget.
Cr Brian Hood told councillors at the June meeting that he would not support the adoption of the budget in its current form.
“The budget presents an illusion. The $5.5m underlying deficit to be incurred this year becomes a $0.5m surplus next year – due to an additional $2m income from rates and a $4m reduction in cash costs (from $35m to $31m).
“Cash flow is projected to break even or be marginally positive in future years after a decrease of $1.5m in 25/26. The claim that it ‘ensures there are sufficient cash reserves to sustain service delivery and fulfil obligations’ simply isn’t true. The budget and plans explicitly state that not all services and obligations will be met.”
Cr Hood said with the adopted budget there would be no cash to fund construction of new assets, for co-contributions to grants or for emergencies.
“Therefore, the ability to fulfil budget and plan commitments and provide essential services will be severely compromised when there is inevitably insufficient cash to fund them.”
Cr Hood said the council should have asked for an extension of time to allow for further budget considerations and start genuine discussions with the state government on the shire’s viability. Words: Donna Kelly