Council Meeting wrap - September 2024

Published on 17 September 2024

The adoption of the Gannawarra Reconciliation Plan 2024-2026 and the receival of the Financial and Performance Statements for 2023/24 was the highlight of Gannawarra Shire Council’s September 2024 meeting, held at the Kerang Senior Citizens Centre on 16 September 2024.

The major item discussed was the adoption of the Gannawarra Reconciliation Plan 2024-2026, developed in partnership with the Kerang Elders and Leaders Group and supporting agencies. The document signals Council’s readiness to develop and strengthen relationships with the municipality’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, engage staff and stakeholders in reconciliation, and pilot innovative strategies to ensure effective outcomes into the future.

The September 2024 Council Meeting also saw Council acknowledge the in-principle Financial and Performance Statements for 2023/24. The Financial Statement identified that Council recorded a $3.75 million deficit in 2023/24, which occurred due to Council not receiving its budgeted $4.9 million Federal Government Financial Assistance Grant advance payment for 2024/25 before 30 June 2024. If this payment had occurred during the 2023/24 financial year, Council would have recorded a $1.15 million surplus.

A report expanding on some of the results outlined in the Financial and Performance Statements will be presented at the November 2024 meeting.

Other outcomes of the meeting included:

• The endorsement of a recommendation to name an unnamed road in Kerang “Cedar Lane”, with the name determined following two community engagement periods;
• Approval for community engagement to occur following the completion of the local government election caretaker period in relation to the proposed rationalisation.  This will include the potential sale, of three Council assets at Quambatook - Units located at 9-11 Guthrie Street, a vacant block at 2 Patterson Street, Quambatook and the Quambatook Senior Citizens Hall. Engagement will also occur regarding the permanent suspension of on-site cattle sale services at the Kerang Saleyards and identification of feasible rationalisation options for the saleyards site; and
• The acceptance of an amended Notice of Motion that called for the presentation of a report at the November 2024 meeting regarding the Cohuna Airfield, including an update from the Cohuna Aerodrome Redevelopment Board regarding progress on a $2.57 million grant received to complete upgrades at the facility, and a request for Council to make $350,000 available to the Cohuna Aerodrome Redevelopment Board to build a terminal at the Cohuna Airfield that would service the needs of the Air Ambulance Victoria when transferring patients, plus the needs of arriving and departing pilots and passengers.

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