Council Meeting wrap - July 2020

Council Meeting wrap - July 2020

Published on 21 July 2020

The endorsement of the Draft Community Engagement Strategy 2020-2025 and the noting of the results of the 2020 Community Satisfaction Survey for Gannawarra Shire Council highlighted Gannawarra Shire Council’s July Council Meeting.

Held in accordance with the State Government’s COVID-19 Omnibus (Emergency Measures) Act 2020, the meeting was closed to the public, with the meeting streamed direct to Council’s website for the first time.

One of the key items discussed was Council’s Draft Community Engagement Strategy 2020-2025, which will drive Gannawarra Shire Council’s engagement with the community for the next five years. This strategy updates Council’s Communications and Engagement Strategy 2016-2020, and takes into consideration current implementation of the new Local Government Act 2020, as well as exploring best practice community engagement. 

Further details regarding the Draft Community Engagement Strategy 2020-2025 can be found here, with residents able to submit feedback up to 5pm on Friday, 21 August.

In the other major item discussed, Council noted the results of the 2020 Community Satisfaction Survey for Gannawarra Shire Council, conducted annually to assess the performance of council across a range of measures and to seek insight into the ways to provide improved or more efficient service delivery.

The survey identified that Council’s performance in Arts centres and libraries, Elderly support services, Waste management, Family support services and Enforcement of local laws were equal to, or above, the Statewide and Small Rural average. The survey also highlighted areas where Council can improve its relationship with the community, including Overall performance, Overall Council direction, Consultation and engagement, Informing the community and Lobbying. More information about these results can be found here.

The meeting also saw Council continue to recognise the impact COVID-19 is having on community groups and organisations, with Council approving a proposal to reduce the hire charges for the Cohuna and Kerang memorial halls, as well as the Cohuna, Kerang, Koondrook and Quambatook Senior Citizen buildings for the 2020/2021 year by 50 per cent.

Other matters adopted during the meeting included:

Endorsing the Draft Governance Rules and Draft Public Transparency Policy for community consultation and engagement; The adoption of the Gannawarra Shire Municipal Emergency Management Plan Issue 31; Authorise the leasing of a 12-hectare parcel of land within the Kerang Aerodrome for the purpose of construction, commissioning and operating a 5 MW Solar Micro Grid, with the site to be returned to its pre-construction state or better at the end of the lease period; Transferring ownership of land at 25 Channel Street, Cohuna and 43 Channel Street, Cohuna from Council to the Department of Health and Human Services; Transferring ownership of land at 6 Murray Street, Kerang, 45 McCann Crescent, Kerang and 9-11 Guthrie Street, Quambatook from the Department of Health and Human Services to Council; and The noting of the annual review of the Domestic Animal Management Plan.

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