Council meeting pieces - February 2020

19 February 2020 - Media release

Operation of the Waste Reserve

Council has adopted a new policy, 173 – Operation of the Waste Reserve.

The policy ensures Council meets its legislative requirements regarding the raising of waste fees and charges as well as ensuring that sufficient funds are available to fund approved waste infrastructure as set out in Council’s 10 year capital works plan. The policy addresses both the operation of the waste reserve and the annual financial allocation into the waste reserve.

The reserve holds the funds for infrastructure needs which are released to support approved waste projects, such as the recent approval to upgrade the internal and external road connections at the Echuca and Kyabram Transfer Stations.

Complaint Handling

Council has adopted a new policy, 174 – Complaint Handling, outlining Council’s commitment to the management and resolution of complaints.

The policy is an action from Council’s Customer First Strategy, reinforcing our commitment to providing customers with a complaints handling process that is effortless, accurate and friendly. The policy sets out a four-tiered process that will enable customers to clearly see how their complaint will be managed.

Kow Swamp Lions Park

Council has made an in-principle decision to withdraw from being the Committee of Management for the Kow Swamp “Lions Park”.

In September last year, Council approved the removal of outdated facilities at the site due to the condition of the toilet’s waste water system and an inability to meet legislated conditions for a new facility. This is due to current Environmental Health and Building Code legislation which prohibit waste water systems close to waterways.

Wind and wave motion have also caused extensive bank erosion at the site. As the lake is part of the Goulburn Murray Irrigation system and needs to operate at high water levels, the land will continue to erode.

In poor condition and without the option of being able to replace the toilets, the current infrastructure will be demolished in the coming weeks leaving the site clear and ready for the lake’s operators, Goulburn Murray Water, to undertake erosion works.

Without the ability to provide basic park amenities such as a toilet and BBQ, Council will no longer need to manage the site.

Unused railway land

Council is seeking a better process to access and develop VicTrack managed railway land not currently being used in rural and regional Victoria. Council will write to the Transport Infrastructure Minister and VicTrack CEO seeking for unused rural railway land to be transferred to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) to manage and be available for potential community use. The letter will further acknowledge that making commercially viable land available can be an expensive process and VicTrack may require financial support from the State Government to assist this to happen.

Council will also submit a motion at the next MAV State Council meeting asking for greater equity for rural and regional areas to be able to access and develop disused rail land.

Bridge on Groves Weir Road

Council has requested that the Administration engage with Goulburn Murray Water (GMW) regarding GMW’s intentions and timeline for renewal of their bridge which is 200 metres north of Council’s bridge.

Mindful that the condition assessment of Groves Weir Bridge carried out on Council’s behalf is now more than six months old, Council has asked that another assessment be conducted on the bridge’s condition as soon as possible.

The existing bridge, built in the 1960s averages 40-50 vehicle per day, including 8 commercial or large vehicles. It has aged to a point where the bridge is now unfit to carry heavy vehicles and has a weight limit of 12 tonnes.

Once all information is received, Council will again consider the future of the bridge.