The budget was produced under tight financial circumstances, but still managed to have a surplus of $12,795.

READ MORE: Bathurst Regional Council's 2021-22 budget plans revealed

Director of Corporate Services and Finance, Aaron Jones, told the Western Advocate it had been a difficult budget to prepare.

"It's probably been one of council's hardest budgets to put together, dealing with COVID-19 and the impacts of cost-shifting," he said. "With both of them, it's been a bit of a double whammy."

In addition to these issues, Mr Jones has cited rate pegging, the take-up of additional services and the imposition of tasks on councils with no corresponding revenue as having contributed to the tight circumstances.

He also told the Western Advocate that it was likely that budgets would become tighter and tighter if these issues persist.

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Councillors have praised council staff for their preparation of the draft budget for the 2021-22 year, acknowledging the unprecedented challenges they've faced.

Councillor Jess Jennings congratulated staff on "bringing together a budget that has suffered some of the greatest distortions and impacts in recent memory".

"Good effort on all the updates that we've had and bringing this all together to a budget that looks probably nearly as good as it could under the circumstances," he said.

"I'm more than happy to move this, although that doesn't necessarily mean that I agree with everything in it, and I look forward to seeing submissions from the public as to any adjustments that might come to pass in the final round."

Cr Warren Aubin, who was unable to attend Wednesday night's meeting, has also praised the document council staff drafted.

"In the climate that we are in, I think the budget is a very fair budget and obviously we had to be very careful with the money we've got, what we're doing with it, but all-in-all it's not doom and gloom," he said.

The draft budget includes a list of major projects council hopes to achieve.

One of the items is a $2 million allocation for additional solar panels on the wastewater treatment works.

"That's in our ongoing process of getting solar power to a lot of our assets, so that was fantastic," Cr Aubin said.

Council has also allocated $2 million to the stormwater harvesting scheme, just under $3.5 million for multiple projects at the aerodrome, and millions of dollars for sporting projects.

The draft budget is on public exhibition. People will be able to submit feedback via the YourSay Bathurst website.

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