Council approves big subdivision of its own land – Golden Plains Shire meeting briefs

A BEEFY agenda greeted all who made it to the first Golden Plains Shire council meeting of the year, held in Bannockburn on Wednesday, 26 February.

One of the biggest decisions councillors had make was on 20.85 hectare of municipal owned land in Teesdale that will be split into 37 lots.

Located on Lomandra Drive, the site is the last phase of the Bakers Lane subdivision, a parcel of land owned by council that was part of a former Leigh Shire gravel pit.

Subsequently councillors were asked to make a subdivision and planning decision on land they were essentially the custodians of.

Cr Les Rowe questioned how that was meant to happen.

“This land is owned by the council, and we are the councillors of the council, how do we vote on this?” he said.

Shire CEO Eric Braslis tried to clear up the confusion.

“You’re sitting here tonight making decisions on the planning application not as the council but as the responsible authority in the Planning and Environment Act,” he said.

“This is an odd instance, but it does happen to councils throughout the state. You do need to be dealing with this impartially, like you would any application.”

Ultimately the move was supported by all but one of the councillors in attendance, Cr Des Phelan was absent, with Cr Helena Kirby noting the budgetary impact.

“The selling of this land should provide the council with some good income,” she said.

Four objections were received to the subdivision, mostly focusing on changes to area.

The motion was opposed by Cr David Evans who was concerned about future effluent issues in the area and said that could have been overcome with larger subdivisions and less blocks.

Building gets new tenants

The Meredith Interpretive Centre at 10 Wallace Street will soon have new custodians after councillors approved a group known as CLAW Enterprises for a peppercorn rent on the site in the first year.

CLAW will seek to use the land as a creative co-working space in partnership with start-up and business idea incubator Runway Limited as well as Meredith Primary School and the district’s Lions Club.

The terms of lease on the site include a peppercorn rent running to $11 in the first year and then rising to $13,200 in year two. There are also optional extensions to the lease.

Cr David Evans sought to amend the motion before councillors, saying the new tenants should have to pay $1000 for their first year of use.

That move was kyboshed by other councillors who chose not to support it.

During debate on the original motion some councillors explained their decision not to support Cr Evans.

“I would rather get $11 and have somebody look after this site than have it left empty and it will then cost us a lot more than what we’ll ever get back out of it,” said Cr Nathan Hansford

Taking and listening

Councillors and Shire staff will be back out and hearing what residents have to say after listening posts for 2020 were approved.

Four sites were confirmed with Smythesdale in April, Linton and Bannockburn in May and Bannockburn again in June all set to host the feedback stations.

The May session will specifically be open to resident input on the 2020/21 budget.

Community grants move to staff

Councillors will no longer have a detailed hand in deciding where money is allocated to under the community grants program with most of them agreeing to pass the responsibility onto council staff.

The move to redelegate the tasks was a result of council’s internal auditors highlighting reports from the State and Federal government agencies relating to potential issues with councillors solely deciding where grant money should go.

Cr Kirby disagreed with the move saying that there hadn’t previously been issues with councillors deciding where community grants went in the Shire. All councillors bar Cr Kirby voted for the change.

Over the life 25-year life of the Shire’s community grants program an estimated $6.8 million has been allocated across the municipality. So far this financial year just over $110,000 has been given to 32 projects.

Taken the pledge

Three new Australians formally became citizens of the nation at the start of the meeting.

Smythesdale residents Ms Rubilyn Douglas from the Philippines and Mr Hugh Russell from Scotland joined Mr Martin Gilfoyle once of England but now living in Bannockburn in officially becoming Australian.

Once they took an oath of citizenship they were presented with a certificate and a native plant.

Sporting pair acknowledged

Two young sports people received official nods from the Shire for their recent success.

Bannockburn’s Chloe Weiler, a 13-year-old basketballer and track and field athlete, and nine-year-old cheerleader Anastasia Young from Teesdale were both acknowledged with a citizen recognition awards.

Chloe is off to the Special Olympics Junior National Games in October representing Victoria, while Anastasia is set to compete in the Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation national championships in November.

Road to improvement

Bitu-Mill Civil Pty Ltd was awarded just under $230,000 to upgrade Sharps Road and Steiglitz Road at the intersections of Maude She Oaks Road, and widen that same road between Strong Road and the Mountain View Quarry Entrance.

The money will come from the Shire’s Roads to Recovery fund.