Decisions from the Ordinary Council Meeting—22 July 2020

Decisions from the Ordinary Council Meeting—22 July 2020

Published on 24 July 2020

Council’s monthly Ordinary Council Meeting was held on Wednesday 22 July and a summary of the decisions is provided below.

Council endorsed the record of assemblies of Councillors as outlined. Council noted the 2020 Community Satisfaction Survey results from the Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey. Council resolved to adopt the Council Plan 2017 – 2027 (Year Four) after having placed it on public display and having received and considered all submissions. It also resolved to make the decision public and to provide the Council Plan 2017–2027 (Year Four) to the Minister for Local Government. Council endorsed the officer responses contained in Appendix 1 and resolved to write to all submitters and thank them for their submissions. Council resolved, after having prepared the draft Budget Report 2020/21, placing it on public display and having received and considered all submissions, to adopt the 2020/21 Budget with the following amendments:

a) That the budget be amended to increase grant income for the following areas: Macedon Ranges Shared rail trail - $4,939,792, Commonwealth government local roads and community infrastructure program - $1,441,216, Rural Councils ICT Infrastructure Support Program grant - $100,000, Growing Victoria’s Botanic Gardens Grant - $180,000 and Working for Victoria Fund - $3,469,616,

b) That the expenditure budgets increase in the following areas: Increase to capital works - Macedon Ranges Shared rail trail project - $4,939,792, Increase to capital works -Commonwealth government local roads and community infrastructure program, $1,441,216, Increase to capital works - IT expenditure $100,000, Working for Victoria Fund Expenditure - $3,469,616, and Strategic Planning Traffic Modelling and Economic Analysis - $60,000

c) That the expenditure budget decreases in the following area: Decrease to capital works, and desktop and notebook computer replacement - $60,000,

d) That annual Kindergarten fees in the draft budget be amended to: Pre-kindergarten per term 2.5 hours (billed in four instalments) $984,

e) That the financial statements be edited to reflect the disclosure of additional statement lines that ensure the final Budget 2020/21 correlates to the Local Government Model Financial Report and that these changes are then reflected in the final Strategic Resource Plan 2020/21.

Council also resolved to make its 2020/21 Budget decision public and to provide the 2020/21 Budget to the Minister for Local Government, and to endorse the officer responses to submissions as contained in Appendix 1 of the report. Council resolved to write to all submitters and thank them for providing their concerns, objections, support and requests, and to respond accordingly and advise them that the Budget was adopted with the amendments as shown. Council also resolved that the rates and the charges declared at the Council meeting on 27 May 2020 be levied by sending a “rate and charges notice” to those persons liable to pay, in accordance with section 158 of the Local Government Act 1989. Council resolved to adopt the Strategic Resource Plan 2020/21, with the proposed adjustments for changes to the 2020/21 Budget outlined in the resolution of the Adoption of the Budget 2020/21 report. It resolved to make the Strategic Resource Plan publicly available and to provide the Strategic Resource Plan 2020/21 to the Minister for Local Government. With regard to 47 Victoria Street, Macedon, Council resolved to allocate additional funding in the 2020/21 budget of $92,127 (ex GST) from the Commonwealth Government Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program for the completion of the renovation works at 47 Victoria Street, Macedon. Council resolved to adopt the Flag Policy and publish the policy on Council’s website and also referred establishment of additional flagpoles and illumination at night to a future budget process. Council resolved to place the draft Positive Ageing Plan, PARTICIPATE 2020-2025 on public exhibition for a period of four weeks. Following community consultation, Officers will report back to Council with a summary of community feedback and draft plan for consideration. Council adopted the 2020/21 Community Funding Scheme (CFS) allocations as detailed in the report and including specific conditions placed on the recipients. It also resolved to redirect $16,054 of the 2020/21 CFS budget to the proposed community COVID response grant round, and notify all applicants in writing of the outcome of their application and provide them with the opportunity to receive feedback on their application. Council resolved to issue a Notice of Refusal for Planning Permit PLN/2019/274 for a retail premises (market, restaurant and bar), function centre and an office, liquor licensing (on premise licence), removal of vegetation and waiver of car parking requirement at Crown Allotment 7, Section 26, 30 Brooke Street, Woodend. Council received the 2020/21 Events and Festivals Grant Program Assessment for the Macedon Ranges Events and Festivals Grant Program, confirmed total funding availability as $90,000, and endorsed the Assessment Panel recommendations to allocate in-kind and financial support to the $90,000 schedule in the report. Council approved the Draft Macedon Ranges Event Strategy 2020-2025 for community consultation and agreed to make it publicly available from 27 July until 24 August. The final version of the Macedon Ranges Events Strategy 2020-2025 will be considered at a future Council meeting. Council endorsed the Kyneton Airfield Master Plan 2019 subject to a number of changes and noting that delivery of any actions identified within the Kyneton Airfield Master Plan 2019 are subject to Council’s budget processes.

Minutes for the meeting will be available within five working days.