CITY of Ballarat councillors adopted the final draft of the Inclusion Framework 2022\/26 during their regular meeting on Wednesday, 26 October following community feedback in August and September.<\/p>\n
The framework incorporates inclusive plans for the city\u2019s queer, ageing, disabled, Indigenous and multicultural population.<\/p>\n
Cr Belinda Coates said the framework will have an overarching benefit for people in the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really another big step forward in making our services in the community more equitable, equal and diverse,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn looking at the needs of these groups individually and collectively, it has so many multiple benefits for those groups and for the whole community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nearly 890 people offered feedback for the drafts during the period of public exhibition.<\/p>\n
Cr Mark Harris said the level of community consultation in developing the framework provided a \u201csense of recognition\u201d for people in Ballarat.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey do feel it\u2019s an inclusive city and it\u2019s somewhere they can be proud to call home. It\u2019s really important we take that on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the start of a journey, and we need to now keep trying to be best practice here for what we can achieve in these areas across the future council to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Tender awarded for Ballarat Library<\/strong><\/p>\n The nearly $5.7 million contract for the redevelopment of the Ballarat Library has been awarded to H Troon.<\/p>\n The works will entail the repositioning of the library\u2019s entrance to face towards the civic plaza of Gov Hub and Civic Hall.<\/p>\n Additional funding of nearly $500,000 was pulled from the municipality\u2019s inflationary fund established during their previous council meeting to assist in covering shortfall costs.<\/p>\n Cr Ben Taylor said the site\u2019s redevelopment would be more beneficial than building a new library.<\/p>\n \u201cI recall only so many years ago you\u2019re talking $20 million to build a library, a small library at that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cHere we have an opportunity to increase the patronage, to broaden the space, to provide other opportunities in areas for inclusiveness.<\/p>\n \u201cThis, as much as it has now caused us to go over and allocate more funds, gives us really good value for money.\u201d<\/p>\n Cr Coates said the library\u2019s redevelopment would be a broad benefit for the community, with the site having \u201cpeak[ed] at over 1400 visitors a day.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Plaques policy in place<\/strong><\/p>\n A new policy was adopted to steer the municipality\u2019s decisions around public and roadside plaques and memorials.<\/p>\n The policy will outline the City\u2019s process when it comes to the installation, removal and approval of plaques and memorials like commemorative trees and park benches.<\/p>\n Cr Des Hudson supported the motion and said the policy would allow for a greater \u201cconnection to place\u201d in implementing memorials.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had many walks along the beaches of Adelaide\u2026 where I first probably saw this as a model,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cPlenty of park benches and often on there is a plaque of a person that tells a story about a connection to place.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you pause as a visitor in some of those locations you get a sense of the people that made up that community.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Annual report read<\/strong><\/p>\n Council reflected on the developments of the past year with the City of Ballarat Annual Report 2021\/22.<\/p>\n COVID recovery was a major theme on the agenda, with the Council Plan 2021\/25 highlighted, alongside the Ballarat Now and Into the Future campaign, which is estimated to have brought more than $370 million into the economy.<\/p>\n City of Ballarat mayor Cr Daniel Moloney pointed to the $15 million redevelopment of Bridge Mall as \u201cone of the most influential\u201d projects from the current council.<\/p>\n Cr Coates said the report provided a transparent way to show the community how council has adapted to pandemic recovery.<\/p>\n \u201cIt does spell out some of the challenges that we\u2019re facing and the work that\u2019s happening regardless of those challenges,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve still got to do the Council Plan, deliver on projects, undertake planning and things like the Commonwealth Games announcement.<\/p>\n \u201cIt does give some idea of the breadth and depth of work that happens in the community and the financial enormity of it as well.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n