As a councillor, I know the three-month lead-up to the annual budget is one of the busiest and most important periods in the council calendar. It is a time when elected representatives and the executive team must carefully balance local needs with what is best for Redlands as a whole. Every decision must be considered against community expectations, financial pressures and the need to plan responsibly for the future.
The past six weeks has been crucial in setting the final budget with a strong focus on keeping rates and charges as low as possible, meeting key community priorities and maintaining the essential services residents rely on every day. Roads, parks, libraries, waste services, community facilities and local infrastructure must all be funded, while also ensuring Council remains financially responsible.
Even though the Mayor has not participated in this process, Council business has not stopped and we’ve continued to deliver. As councillors, we have pulled together, picked up the workload and continued making decisions that benefit Redlands and its many communities. We are fortunate in having a deputy Mayor who has served in that role for six years in support of two mayors, and who has ably stepped up for the city.
Alongside the budget process, councillors have continued working through significant city matters, including efficiency savings, operational planning, major transport and marine infrastructure, town centre revitalisation, economic development and advocacy for projects that will support Redlands into the future. These are not simple matters, and many require detailed briefings, careful debate and a clear understanding of how decisions will affect residents and businesses.
There will always be competing priorities across divisions, and there will always be differences of opinion on key policy areas. This is part of a healthy local government. However, we exchange views, listen to one another’s ideas, speak with our communities and work through the detail before reaching decisions.
In preparation for this year’s budget, councillors have taken part in more than 22 budget workshops. The final five budget workshops, where key recommendations on expenditure, rates, fees and charges were finalised, occurred during the past six weeks. During that same period, councillors have also attended five workshops on other major issues and two general meetings of council, while continuing the day-to-day work of responding to residents and progressing divisional matters.
The message I want residents to hear, is simple: Just because the Mayor is absent doesn’t mean Council stops. More than anything, the need to pull together has made us more united, especially given her planned absence for a further six weeks.
Together, Councillors and the Executive are all on Team Redlands!
Reprinted in Redland Bayside News, June 25-July1, 2026, page 16