The budget will now be overhauled, with councillors voting at last week's meeting to lower the general rate increase to five per cent while supporting farmers by offering them greater concessions.

The revised draft budget will be presented to councillors at the July ordinary meeting for final consideration.

Mayor Janine Booth said it gave councillors more time and space to deliver a budget the community was comfortable with.

"I think it's a positive way of moving forward," she said.

"Councillors don't want to be rushed into adopting a budget that is not quite right yet."

Under the revised draft budget, farmers would receive a 35 per cent discount on the general rate, giving Hepburn Shire the lowest rating differential in the state. But council has proposed the discount should only be available to genuine primary producers and not people living on lifestyle

properties.

The council will now enlist Municipal Association of Victoria's consulting economist and rate's modelling expert to assess the impact of lowering the farm differential on other property rating types.

Under the new draft budget, the new environmental charge would also be halved, from $22 to $11.

Cr Booth said the decision was a direct response to the financial burden the charge would represent to pensioners and low income earners in the community.

In order to make rates more affordable, some projects may need to be dumped, including the $10,000 Wombat Hill Botanic Garden linear path, the $40,000 Wombat Hill Botanic Garden pump and the new $65,000 environmental officer position.

The draft budget was revised after council received 61 submissions from residents and groups, including a petition signed by 511 residents calling for a moratorium on rate rises.