ARARAT Rural City Council will vote on its 2016-17 budget at its June meeting on Tuesday night.
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After two months of public consultation and feedback to final budget will be considered by councillors.
The big ticket item is a estimated $5.4 million project to redevelop and extend the Ararat Town Hall.
This includes both the Ararat Regional Arts Gallery and the Ararat Performing Arts Centre.
Council chief executive Andrew Evans said the redevelopment was the most important project council was pursuing.
“The Ararat performing arts centre is our big major project in the next financial year,” he said.
“We are talking a $5.4 million project that will completely change the precinct.”
Mr Evans said other major items would hopefully receive cash from state and federal government grants.
This includes the Ararat Outdoor Olympic Swimming Pool, which council committed $55,000 should it be successful in a grant application later in 2016.
The money will go towards finishing the long running project, including the final landscaping and a water slide.
The Ararat performing arts centre is our big major project in the next financial year
- Ararat Rural City Council chief executive Andrew Evans
Mr Evans said rate capping met council had to make very dollar count in the proposed budget.
“We are in an environment where rates are capped at a level that is arguably below the amount your costs are going to increase by,” he said.
“This means it is difficult to look at large and exciting new projects without some assistance from the federal or state government.
“We have a series of projects we have prioritised and will be lobbying the government for.
“There are lots of roads jobs and a range of other civil construction type projects.
“But they are normal run of the mill council projects we do year in, year out.”
Council will also consider at Tuesday’s meeting a possible take over of the Ararat Skate Park. It is currently run by Grampians YMCA, but council is responsible for maintenance.