CFO Round Table: budget processes and forecasting

Join us for FinPro’s first virtual CFO Roundtable, to be held at midday on Friday, 9 October 2026.

This interactive forum will explore different approaches to council budget development, including top-down, bottom-up and zero-based budgeting. The session will feature several short council presentations sharing practical experiences and lessons learned, followed by smaller breakout discussions where participants can exchange ideas, challenges and good practice.

Presentations will include Horsham Rural City Council’s experience with zero-based budgeting and forecasting, Melbourne City Council's top down approach and Casey City Council's experience with financial analysis, stakeholder engagement and change management.

This is a valuable opportunity for CFOs and senior finance leaders to learn from their peers, compare approaches and discuss how budget processes can be strengthened across the sector.

Speakers:

Belinda Johnson, CFO, Horsham Rural City Council

Belinda Arnott, Head of Finance, Casey City Council

TBC, Melbourne City Council