Return of child health services sought – City of Greater Bendigo council meeting briefs

RESIDENTS pushed for maternal and child health services to resume face-to-face in Elmore, which ceased in line with State restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic during Monday’s City of Bendigo council meeting.

Councillor Julie Sloan said the outreach service that replaced face-to-face maternal and child health services is not suitable for many families.

“This outreach model makes accessing maternal and child health services difficult for some families who face at least a 60-kilometre or more round-trip to the nearest maternal and child health centre,” she said.

“In addition, home based consultations may be a model of service provision that some families aren’t comfortable with for a range of reasons.”

While Cr Matthew Evans agreed the municipality should strive to reinstate the service, saying the costs are too great for the City to cover alone.

“It’s important to note that maternal and child health services is subject to an agreement between the State Government and local governments to provide 50-50,” he said.

“It’s a bit unfair to put blame squarely on council staff, not saying that is the case, but the state gov does have a role in this and they need to come to the table and help support in this situation.”

 

Hotel checks in

A new residential hotel will be constructed on the corner of Mollison Street and Williamson Street.

The multi-building complex has a maximum height of 22.8 metres and will feature 202 rooms, a conference centre, restaurant, bar, shops and a rooftop swimming pool.

With Bendigo’s population over 120,000, Cr Margaret O’Rourke said the new hotel will help activate the south-eastern part of the city’s centre.

“We need to have accommodation stock at all levels, in all markets, and currently there is very little at the higher end,” she said.

The new hotel, however, will likely see the demolition of the former Bendigo Timber Company building, now Forty Winks, which is undergoing heritage review as part of an amendment to the City Centre Heritage Study.

If a heritage overlay is applied to the building, a new application would need to be approved by council.

Cr David Fagg said council should wait until the heritage status of the site that will be demolished is known.

“The simplest, best and most elegant way is to defer considering this application until amendment C325 has completed its way through the system, then we’ll know exactly what we’re dealing with and what the consequences are,” he said.

 

Billboard denied

A proposed electronic sign on the corner of Mitchell and Wills streets has been rejected by council.

Cr O’Rourke said the City has clear policies which include discouraging signage for advertising not related to activities conducted on the site, and electronic signs along roads.

“The city introduced its own local signage policy in 2015, the basis of which is to protect the municipality from distracting and dominating signage and advertising,” she said.

She also said, however, council may need to revisit the policy and noted that electronic signage in Geelong has been utilised well, allowing for a memorial to Frank Costa to be displayed.

“It was used in a way that I thought was really fitting, but there will also be elements when we don’t control the advertising, there will be some elements that will be of risk,” she said.

 

No home on the range

Council has rejected the proposal for a house to be built on farming land in Heathcote.

Policies state that new buildings in farming zones must not reduce the amount of land that could facilitate an agricultural activity.

“There are big constraints on the subject land which question its agricultural potential in certain parts,” Cr Evans said.

Other councillors, including Cr Andrea Metcalf said the applicant has not done enough to outline what agricultural activity the dwelling supports.

“Viewed in isolation these proposals might seem reasonable and easy to justify given the approval is only for one dwelling, in reality however this has the effect of fragmenting farmland,” She said.

 

Looking at tower’s heritage

The heritage importance of the observatory at 55 Condon Street, Kennington is under council’s watch.

The East Bendigo Observatory was built by architect John Beebe in 1900 and the site has been for sale since 2019.

Cr Williams said the site is of historical and aesthetic significance to the city and the state.

“It will be such a shame to lose a historic piece of Bendigo’s 1900s history,” he said.

The site will undergo a heritage overlay as part of the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme which would prevent demolition of the observatory tower.

A municipal officer said contact has been made with the agent selling the property to inform them of its heritage interest, however they are not answering calls.

 

Interest in airport continues

More hangars at Bendigo Airport have been leased.

Lots HX12, N4, N5 and M6 have all been taken up, with only three vacant hangars left at the airport.

Over the past two years, 19 leases have commenced, and various developments have taken place.

“It’s great to see business having the confidence to build and develop in the airport,” Cr Greg Penna said.

Cr Julie Sloan said the new leases are a great opportunity for strengthening the local economy, particularly with Qantas recently starting more flights to and from Sydney.

“It’s very impressive to see the development happening out there,” she said.

 

Outdoor dining gets seconds

Hospitality businesses can continue to offer more flexible seating arrangements until at least 30 April next year.

In September 2020, 51 businesses expanded their outdoor dining as a way to increase the ability to trade under COVID-19 restrictions.

Cr Metcalf said the trial has to continue so council has enough data to assess its effectiveness.

“To determine whether outdoor dining should be all year round or seasonal, I believe that we do need to continue the trial through to April 2022,” she said.

The State Government granted the city $500,000 to support outdoor dining, and the city in waived various fees for hospitality businesses.

A community survey was conducted about outdoor dining on Bull Street with 81 per cent saying it should continue, however views are mixed on whether it should be seasonal or permanent.