FAQs

Council develops an annual budget for each financial year. It contains the projects and services we intend to provide and what funds are needed to deliver them. Budget expenditure is driven by the services we deliver and the objectives contained in the Council Plan 2025-29. 

The Council Plan sets-out the initiatives and projects that we will deliver, advocate for or partner in over the next four years. These initiatives are designed to create tangible benefits for our community, ensuring that Council’s vision is realised through practical and impactful actions. 

The Council Budget is also informed by our Long-Term Financial Plan, which covers a 10-year period and demonstrates how we remain financially sustainable to achieve the actions of the Council Plan. 

The Long-Term Financial Plan outlines the funding commitments needed to support delivery of other key strategic plans including the Asset Plan and Revenue and Rating Plan. We also have a series of long-term strategies that drive investment in areas, such as economic development and environment and sustainability.

Council develops a Long-Term Financial Plan to budget out over a 10-year period. It demonstrates how we remain financially sustainable to achieve the actions of the Council Plan.

The plan outlines the funding commitments needed to support delivery of the key strategic plans including the Council Plan, Asset Plan and Revenue and Rating Plan and demonstrates our financial sustainability over the next 10 years with the key assumptions we have used to forecast income and expenditure.

This plan is the product of hard thinking, focused discussions and quality evidence, shaped and informed by community engagement. It includes a set of strategic actions that outline our risk-based approach to financial sustainability and funding priorities.

Our Revenue and Rating Plan explains how we calculate the revenue needed to fund our activities and how this will be divided between ratepayers and other users of services.

The Plan sets out the decisions made in relation to rating options to ensure equity and fairness in the distribution of rates. It also outlines the principles used in decision-making for other revenue sources such as fees and charges.

 The Plan does not set revenue targets, rather it sets out how these will be divided across ratepayers and users of services.

Sound long-term financial management is critical when providing the financial certainty and flexibility needed for efficient and effective service delivery and asset management. 

Council develops an annual budget to ensure there is a strong, continued focus on being as efficient as we can. This is in line with the budgeting principles of efficient use of ratepayers’ money and keeping services at an acceptable level. 

When developing our budget, we ensure it:

• Is developed in an integrated way across our suite of strategic plans.
• Preserves financial sustainability. 
• Provides services and service levels acceptable to the community.
• Ensures we are keeping up with asset renewals.
• Sets-out how we will efficiently use ratepayers' money.
• Prioritises renewal and upgrade of existing assets over the creation of new assets and ensures new assets are designed for cost management and community need.

In March and April 2026, Council will carefully consider community feedback it has received and develop the 2026-27 Council Budget. 

When this process is complete, the final budget will be presented to Councillors for adoption in June 2026. 

Council will share a copy of the adopted 2026-27 Council Budget on its website. We will also let the community know how their input shaped the final budget. 

We provide a wide range of services and facilities to our community. To do this, we must collect revenue to cover the costs of delivering these services. Rates and charges are our most significant source of income.

Our Revenue and Rating Plan explains how we calculate the revenue needed to fund our activities and how this will be divided between ratepayers and other users of services.

In the 2025-26 financial year, Council increased its rates by 2.0%, which was below the allowed rate cap and less than CPI.

The rate increase for the 2026-27 financial year will be determined as part of the development of the 2026-27 Council Budget.

East Gippsland Shire Council manages more than $1.2 billion in property and infrastructure on behalf of the community and delivers over 100 service activities including libraries, emergency management, roads, waste and recycling, sport and recreation, health and local laws.

Developing the Council Budget is a complex process and priority areas are driven by these existing strategic planning documents, which are developed following extensive community engagement. 

Our commitment to the community is to listen to and acknowledge feedback and ideas, and use these in the development of the Council Budget. 

While all feedback provided for the Council Budget will be considered, Council must balance community priorities with legislative obligations, financial sustainability, asset renewal needs and rising service costs. This means difficult choices are sometimes required, and not all requests can be funded in a single budget year.