Budget bunfight results in targeted help – Golden Plains Shire council meeting recap

TUESDAY’S Golden Plains Shire council meeting was once again streamed online with no public access to the chamber due to the ongoing pandemic.

The big-ticket item of the night was the 2020/21 budget and two factions developed on the way forward for the financial plan.

A key addition to the budget was an allocation of $100,000 to a financial assistance grant program aimed at helping rate payers seriously affected by the pandemic.

“We know that many residents and businesses continue to suffer financially during this COVID-19 period and we also know for many households their financial situation remains the same,” said deputy-mayor Cr Joanne Gilbert.

“Rather than reduce service or borrow extra money to give everyone a rate freeze I believe it makes more sense to give financial support to those who need it most.”

Other key Changes to the final budget included a reduced garbage charge from $340 to $335.

Also added was spending of $1.3 million for road and infrastructure projects, $3000 for an increase in Municipal Association of Victoria membership, and $1.1 million extra income from the Working for Victoria grant fund.

A budget submission from the Maude community also received a favourable response with $15,500 set aside for bringing town water to the toilets at Maude Recreation Reserve.

Cr David Evans attempted an additional amendment to the budget motion that would have seen the two per cent rate rise not go ahead but didn’t detail how the budget would account for the $420,000 income hit.

However, he did claim that the money saved, about $40 per rate payer, would benefit local business.

“Any saving in rates to anybody in this Shire will be spent here,” he said. “They are our residents, be it in hardship or not, it will be spent here.”

In supporting Cr Evan’s amendment Cr Helena Kirby also picked up on the local spending angle with a focus on a kind of trickle-down economic model.

“Yes, there are residents who can still afford to pay the full amount,” she said.

“But if they could redirect their savings into either helping their neighbours, by buying from a local business, or employing a trades person for that odd job, or buying online, that means we can keep our Shire alive and prosperous.”

While Cr Evans didn’t seem to factor in the impact of a rate freeze, Cr Des Phalen did. Not just now but in the future.

“Right now we’ve got to look at where we’re going as a municipality and what we will lose with a rate freeze,” he said.

“It’s put us back about five or six years for the ongoing viability of this municipality and I think it’s a very retrograde step because at the end of the day… we are going to help the people that really need the help.”

Cr Evans, after seeing his amendment defeated and claiming he was only seeking to help “the poor people crawling across the plain,” then somewhat ironically turned on the detail of the $100,000 financial assistance grant program.

“The situation of Cr Gilbert’s motion of $100,000, how is it possibly… going to happen,” he said. “We have no policy what so ever in relationship to helping anybody individually or collectively.

“The $100,000 is a joke, it will not be handled well, and I think it’s just a waste of time.”

Cr Kirby also voted against the budget, all other councillors voted for the finical plan.

Along with the approved additions the 2020/21 budget has a total operating revenue of $50.1 million, operational expenditure of $43.9 million, an operating surplus $6.1 million but an underlying deficit of $1.8 million.

The total of capital works set for the next 12 months will run to $15.0 million.

 

Praise for Shire workers

After the budget passed mayor Cr Owen Sharkey noted the sacrifice made by Shire staff during the pandemic.

“I would like to acknowledge the work council officers done throughout the past few months to continue offering council’s services to the community,” he said.

“Many people will be unaware that during this COVID period the council’s CEO and management team did forgo their entitled leave and worked extra days every week.

“In addition, many officers also took leave, and some took unpaid leave, to support the budget and the organisation during this difficult period.

“It’s important to recognise this team effort… and I would like to say thank you.”

 

Rubbish policy put out

The Shire’s draft Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy received approval to go out for public comment.

Outlining how rubbish, recycling and green waste will be handled in the municipality for the next 10 years, the document also covers the transfer station, littering and illegal dumping, waste generated by the municipality itself, closed landfill sites and community generated waste.

The strategy was put together following community consultation in late 2019 via four listening posts, a community panel and publication in the Shire’s Gazette. In the end 723 responses were received, 160 hard copies and 563 via web, with 45 per cent coming from Bannockburn.

 

Fit for purpose

Two sport and recreation documents came before council with the Central Highlands and Grampians Pyrenees Regional and Sport and Active Recreation Strategy and the Shire’s draft Sport and Active Recreation Strategy 2020-2030 both up for decision.

Councillors were asked to note and endorse the first document which is an overall regional approach to sport and rec in the central west of the state.

Meanwhile the Shire’s draft Sport and Active Recreation Strategy 2020-2030 is based on community feedback on what’s needed in the municipality and will be put out on public display.

Cr Evans cautioned against being able to fulfil all the wants of residents, with young people coming in for criticism.

“These are the dangers when we go out to our communities with these type of things,” he said.

“The range of options that were thrown by some of the kids, they’re imaginative little buggers, but by God there’s no way we could do it.”

 

Wet work and chippies get the okay

Eight new companies were approved to supply general maintenance and plumbing services to the Shire.

Approved for general maintenance work are Mr T AtWork, Burkhan Pty Ltd, Zantagra and Maintenance Plus Xtra.

The plumbers are Plumbing Logistics Pty Ltd, Complete Plumbing and Construction Concepts, Total Plumbing Solutions and Paul Norton Plumbing.

All suppliers are appointed for two years with the option for an extra year.