Council Meeting wrap - March 2025

Published on 20 March 2025

Council meeting wrap - March 2025.png

The adoption of two revised policies that relate to assisting ratepayers experiencing general and financial hardship, specifically around rates and charges raised by Council, was the key item discussed at the March 2025 Council Meeting.

Held at the Kerang Senior Citizens Centre on Wednesday, 19 March, the meeting saw the adoption of the revised Outstanding Debt and Rate Relief policies.

The Rate Relief policy enables Council to defer or waive rates and/or charges payments for ratepayers experiencing general or financial hardship, whilst the Outstanding Debt policy outlines the steps Council can take to recover debts from outstanding rates and charges, or private works/hire and general debtors.

Meanwhile, Council’s COVID-19 Hardship policy has been rescinded, as it is no longer required or relevant. Initially developed in April 2020 and last reviewed in 2022, this policy outlined the options available for Council to assist ratepayers who were experiencing temporary financial hardships due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other outcomes of the meeting included:

  • Endorsing a change to Council’s 2024/25 fees and charges, enabling an additional day of three-year-old kindergarten at the Leitchville Kindergarten;
  • Receiving and noting the discussions of the Audit and Risk Committee meeting held on 5 February 2025;
  • Endorsing the revised Erection of Class 10a Buildings on Vacant Allotments policy;
  • Adopting the Occupational Health and Safety policy;
  • That Council write to the Victorian Minister for Energy, expressing deep concern regarding the VNI West project, particularly in relation to landholder consultation, consideration, compensation, and community benefit; and
  • That Council requests immediate and thorough action from VNI West’s proponents, including re-opening the route planning process and consultation, increasing compensation for landowners, including a benefit structure for easement landholders and near neighbours, and economic benefits are provided to all residents of the Gannawarra Shire.

Questions from the public relating to asphalting roads on subdivided land, Council’s strategies to address population growth resulting from major industrial projects and access to land for residential housing developments were also addressed.

For more information, including a link to the video from this meeting and minutes, please visit www.gsc.vic.gov.au/meetings

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