Budget

The Council Budget is an integral part of Council’s overall strategic planning framework. It focuses on delivering quality services to the community through a combination of existing programs, new initiatives and capital works.

The Council Budget is integrated with the Financial Plan(PDF, 993KB), Revenue and Rating Plan(PDF, 1MB), and the Long Term Infrastructure Plan(PDF, 6MB).

These documents detail how Council will utilise its financial resources over the coming budget year to translate the goals of the Council Plan and Community Vision(PDF, 11MB) into material outcomes for the benefit of everyone who lives, works, studies, and invests in Baw Baw Shire.

This budget has been developed to enable Council to deliver community services, and infrastructure now and into the future, while operating within the challenges of a rate-capped environment, global economic and environmental uncertainty, and unprecedented population growth in Baw Baw Shire.

Click here to download the Annual Budget 2026/27 in full(PDF, 3MB)

Click here to download a printable fact sheet outlining the Annual Budget 2026/27(PDF, 6MB)

Budget Highlights

Long Term Infrastructure Plan

Through an innovative plan, design, deliver approach, the Long Term Infrastructure Plan is guided by principles that support consistent and transparent infrastructure decisions, ensuring projects align with Council priorities, delvier community benefit, and remain financially sustainable.

Click here to download the current Long Term Infrastructure Plan(PDF, 6MB)

Click here to download a printable fact sheet outlining the current Long Term Infrastructure Plan(PDF, 5MB)

Council Plan Annual Review

The Council Plan represents a four-year road map for the Council and provides a guide to our strategic direction, objectives, and key strategies for the period 2021 - 2025 and the role that Council plays in achieving the Community Vision.

Each year the Council Plan is reviewed and updated as part of the budget process to reflect the progress made, initiatives implemented by Council, and to set the organisation’s strategic agenda for the next 12 months as we strive towards delivering a sustainable, healthy, and thriving Shire.

Click here to learn more about the new initiatives that will deliver on the goals in the Council Plan.

Click here to download the Council Plan(PDF, 9MB)

Click here to download a printable fact sheet outlining the Council Plan(PDF, 4MB)

Financial Plan

The Financial Plan is a strategic document developed to align Council's financial capacity with long-term service objectives and infrastructure objectives, ensuring the delivery of outcomes consist with the community vision. It uses financial forecasts to provide insight into future capacity and guide strategies that support long-term financial sustainability.

Click here to download the Financial Plan(PDF, 993KB)

Revenue and Rating Plan

Section 93 of the Local Government Act 2020 requires each Council to prepare a Revenue and Rating Plan to cover a minimum period of four financial years following each Council election.

The Revenue and Rating Plan establishes the revenue raising framework within which the Council proposes to work.

The purpose of the Revenue and Rating Plan is to determine the most appropriate and affordable revenue and rating approach for Baw Baw Shire Council, which in conjunction with other income sources, will adequately finance the objectives in the Council Plan.

The rate increase for 2026-27 is capped at 2.75 per cent in line with the Victorian Government’s Fair Go Rates System.

Rates are calculated as a percentage of the Capital Improved Value.

Click here to download the Revenue and Rating Plan(PDF, 1MB)

Click here to download a printable fact sheet outlining Rates Valuation(PDF, 658KB)