Candidate Request Register

• Thank you for your comments relating to design elements of the document.
• Every Freedom of Information (FOI) request is dealt with in various ways in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982. The transparency of FOI documents is also considered in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014.
• A response to the number of complaints lodged at Council, a response was provided to you in your Candidate Information Request of the 30 September 2021:

Council prepares the Annual Report in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Better Practice Guide for the Annual Report of Operations. The guide indicates a mandatory requirement for reporting on complaints made through Protected Disclosures. This requirement is included in the 2020/21 Annual Report, that will be presented to the 20 October Council Meeting.

• Refer to the notes to the Financial Report for responses to all of your questions.
• The Council prepares the Annual Report in accordance with the model required by the State Government. It is audited by the Victorian Auditor General and presented to Council for adoption.
• Council is not obliged to split out various figures, compile them in other abstract forms, to suit various individual's personal areas of interest. The information is contained within the relevant sections to which they relate. In this regard, Council will not be breaking down, or re-assembling the financial figures in the Annual Report further for you.

1. Friday 15 October 2021 – RSL Car Park Bin

• Your customer request has been logged and your customer request number is [supplied]. This item has been included on the works program for prioritisation and action accordingly.

2. Friday 15 October 2021 – Bair Street Car Parks

• Thank you, your feedback has been noted.

3. Monday 18 October 2021 – General Comments

• Council is currently within the Election Period and cannot comment on the electoral matters which are reflected in your comments.
• A responses to your reference regarding 33 Bridge Street, Korumburra was provided to you in your Candidate Information Request on 24 September 2021:
  Please note my response sent on the CEO's behalf on 31 August 2021 noting your oversite of the shire and thoughts on the various items raised in your email, including 33 Bridge Street and other matters. This is the only matter we are aware that you may be referring to in regards to the CEO calling you.

4. Tuesday 18 October 2021 – Three Questions

• Details on the Bair Street project (Leongatha Business Precinct) including the final cost are located on Council's website: Bair Street Project | South Gippsland Shire Council
• Council's Public Question Time in Council Meetings has not ceased and continues to be one of the many ways that Council is committed to communicating with and hearing the views of the community to inform its decision making.
• As Council is in the Election Period, it cannot comment on electoral matters and therefore it would be inappropriate to engage in self-promotion. Details on Administrator Updates are located on Council's website: Administrators' Community Updates | Administrators' Community Updates | South Gippsland Shire Council.

• VicRoads has approved the crossing as well as a Council resolution to use the existing footpath network.
• The crossing adjacent the Police Station is considered to be safer than the existing crossing outside the Leongatha Court House proposed in the concept design in the 24 February 2021 Council Minutes. Council is endeavouring to complete this connection without delay to facilitate the opening of the Great Southern Rail Trail (GSRT) extension. A conversation can happen about longer term solutions with the new Council in due course.

Response to further question from 26 October 2021:

• No independent traffic report exists as the approved "now being constructed" route using the nearby existing pedestrian network was developed by Council's in-house project team.

• The Anderson Street works are being completed by BJ's Earthmoving.
• The works were awarded following a tender process in accordance with Council's Procurement Policy.
• Council does not disclose information about procurements below the statutory thresholds, in accordance with Council's Procurement Policy. Therefore this contract will not be reported to a Council meeting.

• In relation to the ramp on the rail trail from Minns Road, Koonwarra, this request was logged to the Biodiversity Supervisor for inspection and action as required. Your customer request number for your records is [supplied]. The Biodiversity Supervisor will contact you shortly to discuss the timing of works.
• In relation to the soft spots located approximately 400 metres west of Boys Road, Fish Creek, contractors are currently on-site carrying out track maintenance and works should be complete this week.

• Council has logged your concern with the drainage at the intersection of the Bass Highway and Anderson Road, Leongatha to VicRoads (Regional Roads Victoria) [reference number supplied].
• In response to systemic issues within the road design and maintenance areas of Council, the new Council may wish to review this area once established. In the interim, I will raise the concerns you have with the Director Sustainable Infrastructure.

• Thank you for your suggestions regarding a proposed dog park. Whilst Council is in the Election Period, it is not in a position to either make significant decisions of this nature, or speculate on the matters that the future Council may choose to consider. When the new Council is established these types of matters may be considered.
• Council will be embarking on a comprehensive program of consultation with our community as part of developing the 2022 - 2026 Domestic Animal Management Plan. This may include identification of suitable locations for dog parks, along with other domestic animal strategies. This has been flagged in the recently adopted 2021 - 2022 Domestic Animal Management Plan actions.
• It is worth noting that the required process under the Domestic Animals Act requires Council to adopt a resolution for such locations, identifying the type of off-lead controls, and provisions of adequate signage. This resolution would then need to be formerly gazetted before being enacted.

• Initially this request was logged on your behalf in September 2021 (via customer request number) and was included on the Parks and Gardens works program for prioritisation and action accordingly.
• As an excavator is required for the job, a contractor has been engaged to remove the stump at the end of this month, along with other jobs in the area that also require an excavator (cost saving and resource efficiency).

Thank you for your enquiry regarding the South Gippsland Shire Council’s COVID-19 Community Support Package.

At the 22 April 2020 Council Meeting, Council endorsed the COVID-19 Community Support Package of up to $2M in response to the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on South Gippsland’s Community.  A progress report at the 21 April 2021 Council Meeting and a final report was received by Council on 15 September 2021 for Administrators celebrating the implementation and ongoing outcomes of the Community Support Package 2020/21 on 15 September 2021. At the time of this report a total of $1,495,610 had been allocated to resources required for specific projects with the package. The $2M Community Package was broken up into three phases: targeted support, building resilience and recovery and reconnection, this aimed to provide immediate support, economic aid and relief and social and economic stimulus to key sectors in our community. Phase one and two implemented 21 projects and phase three a further eight projects. Please find the minutes of the 15 September 2021 Council Meeting: Council Meetings - Agendas and Minutes | South Gippsland Shire Council . It is anticipated that a final report on all phases of the Community Support Package including outcomes and evaluation will be received by Council by June 2022.

In response to your questions:

1. How much has been allocated to date?
   As at 15 September 2021 resources required for specific projects within the package to date are $1,495,610.
    
2. Who determined how the funds were allocated?
   Council determined how the funds were allocated, following consultation with the community and advice from officers.
    
3. How much was spent on what sectors i.e. promotion material, direct allocations etc.?
   Please find the link to the Council Minutes 15 September 2021 Council Meeting and the Attachment 2.1.1 Agendas and minutes | South Gippsland Shire Council which provides a very detailed breakdown of the projects this package supported, in what sector and further detail on specific projects are on page 13 of the Council minutes.
    
4. Who produced the promotional material? Which graphic designers did we use? Who printed the material?
   The COVID-19 Community Support Package involves 29 separate projects ranging from grants, immunisations, mental health workshops, permit waivers to creative, economic and cultural arts projects.
   Design work for the projects were completed in-house wherever practical; printing was undertaken by a number of providers.
    
5. How was the support material sent to the community groups and businesses?
   Please find the link to the Council Minutes 15 September 2021 Council Meeting and the Attachment 2.1.1 Agendas and minutes | South Gippsland Shire Council which provides a very detailed breakdown of this information including but not limited to 7,500 brochures distributed relating to community health and wellbeing, over 1,000 businesses provided with weekly updates and advice, a dedicated business concierge and frequent visits to businesses.
    
6. How much financial support went directly to community groups and businesses?
   Please find the link to the Council Minutes 15 September 2021 Council Meeting and the Attachment 2.1.1 Agendas and minutes | South Gippsland Shire Council which provides a very detailed breakdown of this information including 83 project grants awarded to community organisations in 25 towns and villages, with over 1,000 community volunteers and over 800 businesses assisted with grants.

• Council has circulated details of this funding opportunity to our top planning permit applicants, builders and real estate agents from our database.
• Council's Social and Affordable Housing Strategy is also being developed. The development process, which includes consultation and engagement with the community and relevant stakeholders, will help to determine the recommendations in the strategy. It will be for the future council to consider.

• Council's current position on the crossing of Roughead Street, Leongatha is contained in the Council Minutes of 24 February 2021, refer to Item 4.2. LEONGATHA RAILWAY STATION PRECINCT PROJECT. Link to Council Minutes 24 February 2021: Agendas and minutes | South Gippsland Shire Council
• There are no costings for traffic lights, the council report explains why this is not a supported crossing option.

• Please be advised that I have noted your response received in regard to the information on the financial position of Council that was provided to you on Monday 4 October. Council is comfortable with the response provided, as it directs you to the Annual Report containing Council's audited financial position as at the end of the 2020/21 financial year. Council is not in a position to review the information on the cash position you have compiled and determine whether it is correct, or otherwise. The Annual Report provides the audited financial position of Council. The Annual Report is being published on the website this week for the public to view, prior to it being presented for adoption at the October Council Meeting.
• Further, please be advised that the Annual Report was delayed, slighly, due to VAGO providing the certifications later than anticipated. The unaudited Financial Statements and Performance Statements were endorsed by Council in the September Council Meeting and the Annual Report is being presented to the October Council Meeting for Council's consideration. It is being made available for public viewing two weeks prior to the Council Meeting. These are all achieved within the legislated timeframes and requirements. The Minister for Local Government's extension has allowed all Victorian Councils to delay a copy of the Annual Report being sent to the Minister until 30 November 2021. I am proud to announce that South Gippsland Shire Council is likely to be one of the first Council's to submit their Annual Report to the Minister this year.

• Please refer to the Agenda item 3.3 in the 15 September Council Report on the Caravan Parks financial update. As we are in the Election Period we are unable to provide further details in regard to your comments at this time.
• The final 2020/21 Annual Report including the audited Financial Statements, will be presented to the Council at the 20 October 2021 Council Meeting. The accompanying report contains commentary on significant year-on-year variances at the accounting classification level. In the 2020/21 financial year, the total of materials and services expenditure was lower than the prior year, even though expenditure which was classified as consultancies and projects was higher. There is a listing of contracts on Council's website.
• Each year Council adopts the Capital works program as part of the Annual Budget. The Capital Works Program can include multi-year projects that will be carried forward to the following financial year.

Electoral Campaign advertising

Provided with copy of application form and Candidate Guidelines for displaying electoral signage.

• The grant for the Driver Reviver site has been awarded to the SES, so Council is not the recipient of it, nor for what purpose it can be used.
• Any grant funding program is very specific in regard to what can be funded, therefore it would be unlikely that the funding could be redirected.
• Council's current position on the crossing is contained in the Council Minutes of 24 February 2021 and in regard to the petition Council's decision is captured in the 15 September 2021 Council Minutes. Both are available on Council's website.

• Election Key dates
• Proposed Councillor Transition Program Calendar
• Election Period Policy
• Reference to the election page on Council’s website

• The responses provided to you in 2018 advised that the roads of concern are the responsibility of VicRoads. They are not Council roads, or roads that Council has any jurisdiction over.
• While Council can, and has previously, advocated to VicRoads on these matters, it is the responsibility of VicRoads to determine when they may be repaired and to what standard.
• It is considered that your concerns and request should be directed to VicRoads, as they are the governing agency responsible for addressing these issues.
• Unfortunately, the media release you have prepared does not place the responsibility for these works with VicRoads, nor does it address that Council has previously liased with VicRoads in regard to them.
• A candidate is not in a position to instruct Council on the advocacy work that the individual considers Council should do. The new Council, once elected, will be able to determine the priority matters to be advocated.
• It is recommended that as a concerned citizen, you may wish to report these road concerns directly to VicRoads by visiting their reporting hazard page on their website Report a road issue : VicRoads or to ask the status for when these works may be addressed.