{"id":35938,"date":"2020-10-29T09:34:51","date_gmt":"2020-10-28T23:34:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/geelongtimes\/?p=35938"},"modified":"2020-10-29T09:34:51","modified_gmt":"2020-10-28T23:34:51","slug":"city-annual-report-covid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/geelongtimes\/news\/city-annual-report-covid\/","title":{"rendered":"Year in review: City notes COVID-19\u2019s impact in annual report"},"content":{"rendered":"

THE economic and social impact of the coronavirus pandemic is one of the defining characteristics of the City of Greater Geelong\u2019s performance over the past financial year, according to the council\u2019s annual report.<\/p>\n

Councillors met via Zoom last week to note the 2019-20 Annual Report \u2013 one of the few matters that councillors are allowed to consider during the election caretaker period.<\/p>\n

The report\u2019s introductory message from chief executive officer Martin Cutter and mayor Stephanie Asher states the city \u201cmade major progress towards achieving its commitments\u201d in its four-year Council Plan, but \u201cthe COVID-19 pandemic will, without doubt, be the dominant memory of the 2019-20 financial year\u201d.<\/p>\n

Between March and June, the council allocated $10.8 million through four separate support packages, committing to deliver targeted assistance measures across a range of areas to both community members and business owners.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur initial strategy was to provide immediate relief, but subsequent measures looked further ahead, focusing on our region\u2019s medium-to-long-term economic and social recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Including the community support measures and the impacts to the city\u2019s facilities and services, COVID-19 had a direct $10.5 million effect on the 2019\u201320 operating result.<\/p>\n

The report states more than 80 per cent of the 130 initiatives outlined in the Council Plan 2018-22 are either complete or on track.<\/p>\n

Sustainability became a significant focus over the 12-month period, with several key milestones completed, including the council\u2019s endorsement of its Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy 2020-2030, Environmentally Sustainable Design guidelines being incorporated into the planning scheme, and the establishment of the Renewable Organics Network initiative to investigate organic waste solutions with other councils.<\/p>\n

Other measures highlighted by the report include:<\/p>\n