"I've never heard of that happening in a council," Mr Shade said.

"It's very unusual. I've never heard of a budget not passing in Horsham's history."

On the June 28 Horsham Rural City Council meeting, the proposed draft budget for 2021-22 momentarily failed to pass, with four councillors voting against it.

READ MORE: Horsham's budget passed after hot debate and vote change

These councillors were Di Bell, Les Power, Ian Ross and Claudia Haenel.

There was a brief meeting between councillors and Horsham council chief executive Sunil Bhalla during which standing orders were suspended.

After that brief outside the chambers, councillors returned.

The vote was then called again by Horsham mayor Robyn Gulline, where councillors Les Power and Di Bell changed their votes to pass the draft budget.

According to the Local Government Act 2020, a council must prepare and adopt a budget for each financial year and the subsequent three financial years by June 30 each year or any other date fixed by the Minister by notice published in the Government Gazette.

READ MORE: "Bleeding the farmer": Rates increase forces farmers to take a stand

Victorian Farmers Federation Wimmera president Graeme Maher was disappointed with the verdict.

"It's a worrying trend," he said in regards to the increased rate for farm landowners.

"Farmers are bearing the brunt of a climate beyond our control."

Mr Maher said his concern is how councils run the budget process.

"It's push, push, push will little time for comment or submission," he said.

"It's all done in a rush."

OTHER NEWS:

Cr Les Power and Cr Di Bell were contacted by the Wimmera Mail-Times and did not respond before deadline.

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