Councillors have unanimously voted through Corangamite Shire's $51.3 million budget for the 2022-23 financial year but one says its delivery will be "difficult".
Six of seven councillors voted to pass the budget at Tuesday night's monthly meeting. Both Cr Geraldine Conheady and council chief executive officer Andrew Mason were absent.
The budget included a total capital works investment of $16.88 million, including:
- $7.61 million on road renewal and re-sealing
- $1.72 on buildings including Camperdown Saleyards' roofing upgrade, Camperdown Day Care upgrades, swimming pool renewals and energy and water saving initiatives
- $1.87 on plant and equipment
South-central ward councillor Jo Beard said the document took a "business as usual approach" but an allowance of five per cent of the works program has accounted for potential cost increases.
Central ward councillor Laurie Hickey said the influence an "upward shift" in the cost of material would have on the budget and its capital works program would be "interesting".
"The delivery of this budget is going to be quite difficult and interesting this year with the inflationary pressures we're seeing applied to so many different contracts," Cr Hickey said.
"The ability to deliver products has been challenged."
A total of three submissions were made across a period of two weeks after the draft document was released for public comment. No major changes were made.
The Standard requested a copy of the submissions but was refused due to privacy policies.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Councillors also voted to discuss a one-off provision of $10,000 to the Camperdown Courthouse in a first quarter budget review after an impassioned plea was made prior to the meeting.
Courthouse president Alison Byrne said volunteer numbers had plummeted from 67 to 23 in just one year.
She said a grant was needed to create a coordinator position while the committee rebuilt its volunteer capacity, while funds were also needed to re-paint and improve lighting in the area.
"We are the hub of Camperdown," she said.
"We have achieved so much in such a small period of time with a small number of volunteers ... this is highlighted by our 67 volunteers we said we had 12 months ago when we presented to you but we're now down to 23.
"... Another year of core funding from council will provide the committee with the opportunity to create a sustainable business whilst developing our community hub concept and piloting the employment of an eight hour coordinator position."
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