From Anne Horrigan-Dixon: The situation with the Yarra Budget 2017-18 is very tight for many reasons. I recommend that the funding of $545,000 allocated for works in Rushall Reserve be removed from the current and future budgets from the City of Yarra. Therefore the $545,000 proposed allocation for Rushall Reserve, carried forward from the 2016-17 Budget, be allocated to more urgent community based needs in the City of Yarra. There is a loss of $8.2 million from the loss of the proposed Bin Levy in the proposed 2017-18 budget. There are other infra-structure costs associated with the high-rise developments across the city which are not quantified in the proposed budget. Removing the funding for Rushall Reserve would maintain an established Urban Forest with its existing biodiversity. This would also support the Council policy of providing open green spaces around high-density living under construction and application e.g. in the Clifton Hill "High-Rise Wedge". There will be thousands of new residents moving into the Clifton Hill activity triangle in the next few years who will need green open space in their vicinity. The integrity of open space with its established trees and vegetation must be maintained for future generations. Therefore the $545,000 allocated to the Rushall Reserve Project would be better spent elsewhere. So this project should be removed from current and future budgets. Email the mayor and Councillors at City of Yarra by 5.00pm today (11 July 2017) at: Crs@yarracity.vic.gov.au