Budget and Council plan

And last Thursday I attended the Council drop-in session for the annual plan and budget, our community engagement exercise, and spent a few hours. I know the Mayor dropped in, and Councillor Pearce was there too, and our Chief Financial Officer, Navec Lorkin, was also there chatting with residents and getting their view of what they want to see Council do more of or less of, and to talk to us about any issues they had locally. So we had a range of issues: lots about trees, lots about rubbish, lots about all those council services that we know our community really value and want to see us continue to deliver in the great way that we do. So those conversations will certainly inform the development of our budget in the coming cycle.

I was here for the Council budget weekend. Thank you, Councillor Considine, for reminding me that we had Knox Fest in between our last meeting as well. That was an incredible event. Amazing turnout, and credit to our incredible events staff for putting on what they do, and all the wonderful community stallholders that come together to make that such a great day for our community.

Saturday the 23rd, I attended the pop-up engagement at the Rowville Community Centre as Council shapes its 2026-27 annual plan and budget. That was with Councillor Considine and Councillor Pearce. It was a lovely way to spend our morning and early afternoon, meeting and chatting with residents. People certainly didn't hold back in terms of the feedback for us, good and bad, and it's always a really good opportunity to hear what people think we're doing well and where people think we need to do some more work. So, very grateful for that feedback as we shape our plan for the year ahead.

We had a budget workshop on Sunday the 16th of March. The budget's on track. I think we're due to publish a draft in May, so that's coming around. I attended the opening of the Knox athletics upgrades on the 15th of March.

Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to note, since our last Council meeting, it was the 3rd of February, I think it was a Monday, that all councillors and staff were here at Knox headquarters for a full-day development workshop as we started to put together the Council plan for the term ahead. It was a really productive day, and the highlight for me was definitely spending time with our community panel, where we were in the room next door, hearing from a group of our residents about their issues and priorities. Really, the conversation was taking that input and marrying that up with our own observations and some of the feedback that we heard during the recent election campaign. So the Council plan is full steam ahead and that document is coming together.

And of course yesterday and Saturday we had a budget planning weekend here. It was super productive. I think we're on the right track, responding, throwing in ideas and issues in the formation of the budget. I couldn't have thought of a better way to spend my weekend, being locked up with my colleagues here, but it was really productive time, and I think it really has put us on the right track for the budget process ahead.