The Commission of Inquiry into Ararat Rural City Council has handed its first report to Acting Victorian Local Government Minister Lily D’Ambrosio

Fairfax Media understands that the report’s release could be delayed for a week or more until Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins returns to her portfolio.

There is no set time for when the report will be released to the public.

The Inquiry was appointed on June 29 and was tasked with consulting the community on the council’s rating strategy and proposing a better way forward.

Council’s draft budget proposed to bring to an end all differential rates, increasing farmer rates and giving a discount to residential, commercial and industrial owners.

Ararat Rural City councillors voted in late June to delay adoption of the rating strategy and budget until it had consulted the recommendations from the inquiry’s report.

Ararat Mayor Paul Hooper said it was “business as usual” at the council.

“Ararat Rural City is continuing its day-to-day operations as per normal and council is continuing to meet and work on a number of projects,” he said.

“I would like to take this opportunity to again thank everyone who made a submission on the three draft budget documents. 

“Everyone who took the time to share their submissions will receive a formal response following the adoption of these important strategic documents.”

Farmers within the Ararat municipality and the Victorian Farmers Federation have fought against the proposed rating strategy, drawing hundreds of landowners to community and council meetings.

The federation claimed farmers would be asked to shoulder an unfair rates burden.

The commissioners held both private and public consultations with the ratepayers of Ararat as part of their inquiry.

The minister will now consider the report’s findings and recommendations before providing it to the council and community.

“I thank the commissioners for their hard work over the past month in producing this report into Ararat Council,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.

“The report will now be considered prior to it being provided to the council and a decision on their budget and rating strategy.”