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Publish Date: 9 April 2020
Buloke Shire Council’s April Ordinary Meeting was highlighted by awarding of the Birchip Safer Cumming Avenue Streetscape Project and the adoption of a COVID-19 Financial Hardship Policy.
The construction of the Birchip Safer Cumming Avenue Streetscape Project has been awarded to Millers Civil Contractors Pty Ltd of Horsham.
The project has been a high priority for Council and the Birchip community and will now come to fruition. Funding for the project has come from Council, the State Governments Fixing Country Rounds Program in addition to a pending grant application to the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund.
Should that application be unsuccessful Council may need to fund the project through additional funding provided through the Federal Government’s Roads to Recovery program in the 2021/22 year.
In response to the uncertainty created by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic Council has adopted a COVID-19 Financial Hardship Policy and made a number of contingencies in case Council is unable to meet during the pandemic.
The COVID-19 Financial Hardship Policy supports residents and ratepayers who may experiencing increased financial pressure during the health alert and applies to rates payments, interest on fees and charges and registration fees.
Council encourages ratepayers who are facing financial hardship to contact Council and set up a payment plan which will reduce the amount of debt owing after the pandemic.
Alterations to delegations of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Director Works and Technical Services were also made.
The CEO’s financial delegation has been increased to $800,000 including GST for both works, and goods and services to be used only in the event that Council is unable to meet.
The Director Works and Technical Services has been provided with delegation to approve or refuse planning permit and excess animal permit applications with up to three objections in the event that Council is unable to meet.
These modifications will help ensure Council business can be maintained without undue delay during the pandemic and will be in place until October of this year, but can be reviewed if circumstances change.
The next Ordinary Meeting of Council is scheduled to be held from 7.00pm on Wednesday 13 May 2020.
End release For further information contact Manager Customer Engagement, Travis Fitzgibbon on 03 5478 0181 or tfitzgibbon@buloke.vic.gov.au