On Wednesday, council resolved to put the document on public exhibition until May 20.

The exhibition period allows council to collect feedback on the financial plans and also gives people, councillors included, an opportunity to make suggestions for consideration prior to adopting the budget.

The 2022-23 budget is very tight as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and other increasing costs council has incurred, however there remains a surplus of more than $15,000.

READ MORE: 'Skyrocketing' costs lead to another tight budget for Bathurst council

Council has also prepared the budget with a proposed 2.5 per cent rates increase factored in, which would generate an additional $737,108 in revenue.

Director of Corporate Services and Finance, Aaron Jones, said the decision to apply for an additional special rate variation wasn't made lightly, but was necessary to maintain service levels.

"The frustrating thing, and it's already been conveyed, is that the 2.5 per cent which we modelled our future years on was based on the advice that IPART provided last year, and then for them to turn around - and I'm not being critical of IPART, because they have a brief that they have to work within - but for them to turn around and say that our rate increase was only going to be a 0.2 per cent growth factor, so 0.9 per cent in total, presented some challenges for us," he said.

Council is now waiting for IPART to determine its application for the 2.5 per cent increase.

Budget cuts have been identified and will be implemented if council's application for a 2.5 per cent rate peg is unsuccessful.

The draft budget has already been placed on council's YourSay Bathurst website.

The online form can be used to make a submission.

Council will consider the submissions received at a meeting in June, when the draft budget is set to be adopted.

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