Council Meeting wrap - August 2024
Published on 23 August 2024
The adoption of Council’s Fair Access policy and action plan, and the endorsement of the Murray River Group of Councils’ (MRGC) water advocacy position were highlights of Gannawarra Shire Council’s August 2024 meeting, held at the Kerang Senior Citizens Centre on 21 August 2024.
The major item of discussion was Council’s Fair Access policy and action plan, developed in response to the Victorian Government’s Fair Access Policy Roadmap. Launched in 2022, the roadmap seeks to address known barriers experienced by women, girls and people of all cultures and socio-economic demographics in accessing and using community sports infrastructure.
The policy and action plan reflect Council’s commitment to improving equitable community access to facilities and public places, with the action plan outlining the steps Council will undertake with community groups to ensure this happens.
Meanwhile, Council endorsed the Murray River Group of Councils’ water advocacy position, including its strong opposition to open market water buybacks in the Southern Connected Basin.
The MRGC, which Council is currently chairing during 2024, has overseen campaigns opposing the return of the Federal Government to the water market to ensure environmental targets outlined in the Murray-Darling Basin Plan are achieved.
The advocacy position also aligns with Council’s views on the practice, with a similar buyback process undertaken last decade inflicting social and economic damage on the Gannawarra.
Other outcomes of the meeting included:
- Awarding Allstone Quarries Pty Ltd the contact for the winning and stockpiling of sandstone for a contract term of three years, with the option of two one-year extensions, for a total contract period of up to five years;
- Awarding Allstone Quarries Pty Ltd and E.B. Mawsons the contract for the supply of road making materials for a contract term of three years with the option of two one-year extensions up to a total contract period of five years;
- Awarding Primal Surfacing Pty Ltd the tender for Council’s road resealing program for a three-year period with the option of two one-year extensions at the tendered schedule of rates;
- Awarding the provision of project management services to a panel of consultants for a period of three years;
- Approving a variation to the contract for the design and construction of the Apex Park Road and Kervins Road bridge replacements, with $500,000 to be allocated from Council’s Roads to Recovery funding budget to allow completion of the McLean Road bridge replacement;
- Adoption of Council’s Public Street Lighting policy and procedure; and
- Acknowledgement that Council’s offices will be closed from 2pm Tuesday, 24 December 2024 to Wednesday, 1 January 2025 for the Christmas and New Year holiday period, with normal services resuming Thursday, 2 January 2025.
Questions from the public regarding Council’s incorporation of deliberative engagement practices into community consultation, and how the community’s input was incorporated into the Growing Gannawarra – 2021-2025 Council Plan were addressed.
For more information, including a link to the video from this meeting and minutes, please visit www.gsc.vic.gov.au/meetings