SCM 22 JUL 2026 · ITEM 6.2 · RES SCM-26/07-002

Adoption of the Annual Budget 2026/27: amended motion (mid-year budget workshop)

Carried 5–0

Amended motion adopting the 2026/27 budget, with residential rates at 4.545 cents in the dollar and minimum payments of $850 to $1,200, and asking the CEO to convene a mid-year Elected Member workshop on options, including reserves, for funding events and sponsorship.

What it changed. Adds a point asking the CEO to hold a mid-year budget workshop, alongside the events, sponsorships and grants review, to present options for funding the Events and Sponsorship allocation, including from reserves.

Reasons given in the minutes. • The administration has acknowledged Council's ongoing concerns regarding the limited funding available across the City's events, sponsorship, arts and community grant programs and has identified a constructive pathway forward through the upcoming budget review process. • Demand for funding consistently exceeds available budgets. In the previous year, artists and cultural organisations submitted funding requests totalling millions of dollars; however, a number of projects could not be supported due to budget constraints rather than a lack of merit. • The issue is not isolated to the arts sector. Major events, festivals, community groups and Local Activation Grant applicants regularly experience funding shortages as available allocations are exhausted. • Several sponsorship and grant programs are consistently oversubscribed, indicating that current budget provisions do not adequately meet community demand. • Expenditure across a number of funding streams has exceeded original budget allocations, demonstrating sustained demand for support and the need to review funding levels. • The proposed change seeks to provide an opportunity for Council to consider these funding pressures through the budget review process and explore options to better align available funding with demonstrated community need and strategic objectives.

Moved by David Goncalves, seconded by Chris Patton.