THE Surf Coast Shire is continuing its support of a program in which councils across the Geelong region will share services and equipment, which could eventually save the shire about $250,000 every year.<\/p>\n
At their meeting last month, councillors agreed to support the business case being submitted to the state government\u2019s Rural Councils Transformation Program.<\/p>\n
The five councils within the G21 region (Colac Otway, Geelong, Golden Plains, Queenscliff, and Surf Coast) must all agree to implement the business case.<\/p>\n
The regional services collaboration between the five councils will cost the state government, if it approves the business case, nearly $4.8 million to implement between now and 2023-24.<\/p>\n
According to the business case, the project will see the councils \u201cshare expertise and insight\u201d in strategic asset management, strategic procurement and contract management, and capital program and project management.<\/p>\n
The project will also establish a framework for sharing the resourcing of key staff positions (such as building services, environmental health, or land use planning) that are presently reliant on specific people and thus creating a risk of service disruption if those people are unavailable.<\/p>\n
The motion was passed unanimously.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the future of councils \u2013 to ensure that in the future we\u2019re able to manage our financial capacities and working in regards to an alliance of councils to ensure asset management, infrastructure management and procurement,\u201d Cr Brian McKiterick said<\/p>\n
\u201cWith five councils, you have a larger ability to obtain cheaper product and to work on projects at cheaper rates.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE Surf Coast Shire is continuing its support of a program in which councils across the Geelong region will share services and equipment, which could eventually save the shire about $250,000 every year. At their meeting last month, councillors agreed to support the business case being submitted to the state government\u2019s Rural Councils Transformation Program. […]<\/p>\n