Mayor's Message 19 May, 2023

Hello everyone,

On Tuesday night, Council endorsed the draft budget for next year, which is now on public exhibition.

What this means, is that we are now handing the draft budget over to the community to check that it meets your expectations and reflects what we heard from the 315 respondents who participated in our pre-budget survey.

Developing the budget involves a considerable amount of time and effort, and I’m really pleased that despite the challenging economic times, we’ve delivered a break-even result.

I strongly encourage you to take a look, and if you’re time poor, we have a budget highlights presentation on our website which provides an overview of the key features of the budget.

You have until 5pm on 6 June to make a submission, and there are details on the website about how to do this. All submissions will be considered before Council adopts the budget at its June Council meeting.

On Wednesday, I had the great pleasure of addressing a gathering at the Beechworth historic courthouse to celebrate IDAHOBIT (International Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination).

This is a day that I take great pride in, not only because its something I am deeply passionate about, but also the role that Council plays and the leadership it demonstrates in supporting and promoting a culture where everyone feels safe and supported.

I want to thank everyone who attended the day, which reinforces the type of community we want for our families, friends, colleagues, neighbours and visitors long into the future.

It’s also Volunteers Week, which is another great opportunity to recognise and celebrate the many wonderful individuals throughout the Shire who give their time and energy to many worthwhile causes. There are so many groups and organisations, events and activities that simply would not exist without volunteers. So on behalf of all Councillors I want to extend our thanks and gratitude for all that you do.

Enjoy your weekend.

Sophie Price