General News
22 September, 2024
Anonymous questions hit agenda
DEBATE on priorities and responding to anonymous letters dominated the last meeting of Loddon Shire councillors before next month’s elections. The election caretaker period-eve meeting on Monday was a clearing of the decks for council officers...
DEBATE on priorities and responding to anonymous letters dominated the last meeting of Loddon Shire councillors before next month’s elections.
The election caretaker period-eve meeting on Monday was a clearing of the decks for council officers before the ban on major decisions kicked in at midday Tuesday.
Anonymous questions were included on the agenda at the last minute, one asking about the $6.4 million deficit recorded in the financial year statement that was later adopted by councillors.
CEO Lincoln Fitzgerald said the deficit reflected early, or later payments of government grants.
This year, some capital grants were received after June 30.
Mr Fitzgerald received the backing of council for the latest priority advocacy paper to lobby federal and state governments for funding.
He told them the document was needed now, in case an early federal election was called during the council’s caretaker period that will run until late October when the new councillors are elected. Topping the list are council’s push for funding of the Inglewood streetscape project, funding for housing development in Yelka Street Wedderburn and advocacy of a funding model that will attract business to open child care centres in rural areas.
Pyramid Hill Community Centre works, urban drainage in Pyramid Hill and embankment upgrade works at Wedderburn’s Skinners Flat reservoir are also on the list.
However, advocacy for water and sewerage connection in Newbridge was dropped from the previous advocacy document.
A third question in the opening minutes from resident George Wyatt asked for continued action. And a notice of motion by Tarnagulla Ward councillor was later carried that council will take “the next steps required to expand the work undertaken by SGS regarding the feasibility of Newbridge sewerage and water to ensure a project concept is ready for funding; and the opportunity to fund this further concept work from council’s strategic fund.