Candidate Request Register

Council’s Election Period Policy, clause 6.3 Information Request Register sets out that an Information Request Register will be maintained during the election period. This Register is a public document that records all requests relating to electoral matters and non-routine requests for information by Candidates, and the responses given to those requests.

Request Date	Requested by Candidate	Request for Council Information	Response Provided
25/9/24	Nathan Hersey	Update on Bena public toilet.	The new Bena public toilet is due to be installed by the end of 2024. A contract has been awarded, design completed and offsite fabrication is underway. The project cost is approximately $160,000 and is fully funded by Council from the Great Southern Rail Trail Extension Project capital budget.
20/9/24	Bron Beach	Transition Plan flexibility	We certainly understand that candidates will have a range of personal and professional commitments, and we are keen to work with the nine Councillors who are elected to ensure the induction program is workable for everyone. One of the first conversations we will have with the newly elected Councillors is to go over the proposed program and work out what times and days will work best. We are certainly very open to weekends or after hours sessions, and to 1-on-1 follow ups if a Councillor can’t make it to a particular session.
24/9/24	Aaron Taylor	Public Liability	The information you require can be found in the document ‘Election Signage and Material Distribution Guidelines’ on Council’s website. Local Council Elections \| South Gippsland Shire Council Please refer to this document as it may address any additional questions you may have. In particular, under the sub-heading ‘Where can Candidates Campaign on Council land?’, the second dot point provides the response to your question. It reads: A card table must not be less than 1.5 metres from a shop front. This ensures that footpaths are kept clear for pedestrians. Candidates are required to provide Public Liability Insurance that lists South Gippsland Shire Council as an interested part for anyone putting out anything on footpaths and Council areas.
30/9/24	Scott Rae	Update on Baths Road Reserve	Several tracks in Baths Road Reserve are now open. The community is now able to access the Balook Street and Pool Tracks, as well as sections of Wildflower Track. Work is continuing in the reserve, however the Link Track, King Fern Track, and sections of the Wildflower Track are still closed. Further works are being planned for the reserve with support from the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action, which may impact access to the reserve over the coming months. We are asking the community when visiting to please keep to the tracks in the reserve, and if any areas are closed, obey signage and fencing for your own safety.
1/10/24	Scott Rae	Public questions and presentations	At all regular Council meetings outside of the Election Period, community members can submit public questions. Community members who wish to present to Council are able to submit a request to Council. Community members who wish to submit a question to Council Meetings or register to present to Council are able to do via Council’s website. At no stage has Council stopped these two processes.
24/9/24	Scott Rae	Remembrance Day arrangements	As a part of the Councillor Transition program, Council has provided for a break to occur at 11am on the 11 November for Councillors to undertake a minute silence and/or visit the cenotaph in Leongatha for Remembrance Day. No other Remembrance Day events have been planned for Councillors due to the Councillor Transition program.
2/10/24	Rosemary Cousin	Children and Families Plan, Action Plan and Mirboo North Kindergarten engagement information	Please find the endorsed Children and Families Plan below, which includes a summary of feedback collected during the engagement period. Early Years Plans \| South Gippsland Shire Council You will also find linked here the Position Paper in relation to Council’s Role in the Early Years, which defines the role and level of service Council will provide in relation to supporting early years services and infrastructure in the South Gippsland Shire. The action plan and results from the Mirboo North Kindergarten engagement have not been released publicly, however you will be able to find the Council Meeting Minutes from Wednesday 21 August 2024 linked here, which contains a report and associated attachments that was presented to Council regarding the preferred design option in relation to the Mirboo North Kindergarten.
30/9/24	Jenni Keerie	Responsibility of Brown Tourist Signs	It depends on the type of sign (commercial business or non-commercial attraction) and location. The financial responsibility for all commercial tourist attraction signs – including installation and maintenance - rests with the applicant. If the sign in question is non-commercial and requires updating, we would encourage people to contact Council for further information.
25/9/24	Nathan Hersey	Update on what Council has done to prepare for the future growth of Nyora	Council has undertaken extensive work to plan for increased population growth and development in Nyora. The Nyora Development Strategy, which was prepared in consultation with the local community, remains Council’s leading document for the planning of Nyora. This Strategy was prepared anticipating strong growth for Nyora and surrounds, and the need for additional land supply. Council has been working to progress the Strategy and a number of actions are now complete. One such action was the rezoning of a section of land in the central business district from Township to Commercial zone which will help to facilitate retail and commercial opportunities. The 2023-24 Council Plan included an initiative to review planning controls for the land north of the railway reserve in Nyora with “the intent of controlling the form and density of residential subdivision to protect the planned future conversion of this land to higher density residential living”; $50,000 was allocated in the2023/24 budget to undertake this review, and this work has commenced including through a targeted planning workshop involving all Councillors and Council senior staff. Council was also successful in obtaining $25,000 in grant funding from the Victorian Planning Authority to investigate options for development contributions related to land affected by the Development Plan Overlay (DPO5) within the town centre. Such contributions would be put towards necessary infrastructure to support aa growing population. The Council Plan also includes an Annual Initiative for 2024/25 to “continue work to plan for growth and development in the Nyora township.”
2/10/24	Jenni Keerie	Korumburra skate park update.	Planning, heritage and archaeological permits are in place for the new Korumburra Skatepark in the rail precinct, which are subject to conditions. Council are working with the relevant authorities to address these conditions prior to tendering the project for construction, which will likely occur in early 2025. It is expected that construction will take place in 2025. Details on the project can be found on Council’s website: https://www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au/homepage/550/korumburra_skatepark
1/10/24	John Schelling	Mardan tennis court linemarking.	A Council officer will inspect the court and make contact with the Mardan Tennis Court Committee to discuss options.
25/9/24	Nathan Hersey	Representations made relating to Ranceby road and the intersection of the Loch-Poowong Road/ Drouin Road in Poowong.	Council received a response from the Department of Transport and Planning advising that “projects are prioritised according to traffic volumes, pedestrian activity levels, the historical safety record, and the effectiveness of any treatments to improve safety” and DTP will continue to “monitor road safety in Poowong as it does with the entire road network in Gippsland”. The correspondence also stated that - in relation to pedestrian safety, car parking and the road surface in the main street of Poowong - DTP will collaborate with Council, where possible, with any initiatives to make improvements to the road through Poowong. What can council do or what has council already done to assist in improvements in Poowong’s main town centre area, given the roads are the responsibility of the Victorian State Government? Council recently sealed a car park near the supermarket to improve access and amenity in Poowong and will investigate repairs to the pavement in the centre median. As mentioned, the roads in Poowong are the responsibility of Regional Roads Victoria, however Council can continue to advocate for road improvements to the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning.
9/10/24	John Schelling	Request for water tap on the BBQ area in Leongatha Railway precinct to be repaired.	A request for repair of the water tap has been submitted.
7/10/24	Rosemary Cousin	Property title clarification	The title to the properties in question was previously recorded ‘the President, Councillors and Ratepayers’ of the Shire of Korumburra as the registered proprietor of the land. This expression was a common convention of the Registrar of Titles to reflect that land was owned by the Shire of Korumburra. In 1994, by publication of a notice in the Victorian Government Gazette (No. S 94, dated 2 December 1994): • the Shire of Korumburra ceased to exist; • the South Gippsland Shire Council became the successor at law to the former Shire of Korumburra as part of the amalgamation of local councils across Victoria; and • all property, rights and assets owned by the Shire of Korumburra were transferred to the newly created South Gippsland Shire Council. On and from the date of that gazettal, South Gippsland Shire Council became the lawful owner of the Property as successor at law to the Shire of Korumburra. The Registrar of Titles updated the title particulars to record ‘South Gippsland Shire Council’ as the registered proprietor of the Property on 8 August 2016 to give effect to the vesting of the land in Council’s ownership as a result of the amalgamations in 1994.
Scott Rae	11/10/24	Blackwood Creek update	Council provided a response to the TCAT enquiry (dated 19 September 2024) and sent via email. The response stated: The proposed location of the bridge is on Council managed land and will require approvals from Council. As a new piece of infrastructure, the proposed bridge and any associated pathway need to be assessed in accordance with Council’s Blueprint for Community and Economic Infrastructure 2021-2036. When ready, please complete the attached Blueprint Proposal Application Form and submit to: infrastructureideas@southgippsland.vic.gov.au In addition to the fields outlined in the form, your application should also consider and address the following: • The project will likely require approvals from the Responsible Road Authority - Regional Roads Victoria • Consideration for safety near the highway, such as a road safety audit on the design • The proposed bridge location appears to be over a designated waterway, so any works will almost certainly need a Works on Waterway Permit from West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. • The area is subject to a Significant Landscape Overlay – SLO3 “Corner Inlet Amphitheatre”. I suggest planning advice is sought to determine if any limitations apply or if a permit may be required. • Consider whether native vegetation removal is required and whether this will require a planning permit. • The location is an area of cultural heritage sensitivity. Need to determine whether a Cultural Heritage Management Plan, archaeological survey or any other controls are required. • Consider whether Native Title applies and/or if any consent is required through the Registered Aboriginal Party for the area - Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation • Detailed design of the proposal including location, dimensions, materials, construction standards, installation methods etc. • Demonstrate that the proposal meets relevant design standards, including Council’s Infrastructure Design Manual and the Australian Standard for Bridge Design – AS5100-2017 • Details on what ongoing maintenance would be required and how it is proposed to be managed.
Rosemary Cousin	11/10/24	Mount Vernon Road Update	1. Did Council conduct a post-works project assessment report to the Federal Government upon completion of the Mount Vernon Road Roadworks 114953-21VIC-RTR as part of the acquittal of project funds expenditure? If so, can this report be made publicly available? We do not produce a formal post-works project assessment report; however, during the project, it is managed to ensure compliance with the conditions of the funding program. The Roads to Recovery program is federally funded and road projects can be selected for audit, where proof/evidence of the acquittal claims is required. This information is not publicly available, as it contains confidential details, such as labour rates and supplier pricing. Please note that all works completed under R2R funding are signed off by the CEO as accurate and compliant. 2. Can Council provide a assessment of the current road conditions and wearing surface of Mount Vernon Road from Strzelecki Highway to Boorool Road and/or engage an independent assessor to determine whether there is any evidence that this road has had a new wearing course 100 millimetres in depth of 20 millimetre crushed rock? In accordance with our adopted Road Management Plan (RMP), Council does not conduct condition inspections of unsealed roads. This is due to the nature of the asset, as an unsealed road condition can change rapidly based on weather and usage. However, unsealed roads are inspected for defects and maintained in line with our RMP. We also undertake reactive inspections in response to customer requests and adverse weather conditions. Given the typical life cycle of an unsealed road (wearing course), it is highly unlikely that the wearing course applied in 2020 would still be fully visible. On average, unsealed roads require resheeting every eight years. 3. What actions does Council propose to improve the road wearing surface, road safety and drainage on both sides of along Mount Vernon Road from Strzelecki Highway to Boorool Road? Mt Vernon Road is maintained in line with the standards outlined in our adopted Road Management Plan and Asset Management Plans. At this time, there are no plans to upgrade or enhance the road’s surface, safety features, or drainage, as this would exceed the service levels and funding allocated for these assets. 4. Can Council provide advice to property owners along Mount Vernon Road about any assistance that may be available to urgently install crossovers to immediately secure property access? When Council undertook the resheeting works, all legal crossover points were retained. Property owners with non-compliant crossovers were offered the opportunity to upgrade their access points as part of the works, with Council agreeing to install the crossovers if the property owner purchased the required materials. However, not all property owners opted to take up this offer. Under the Road Management Act 2004, property owners wishing to install a crossover must ensure it is legal (they must apply for a permit) and at their own expense. As per the Act property owners are responsible for the maintenance of their driveways and culverts, as these are not required for public use but are solely for the property owner's access. Residents on Mt Vernon Road have been provided with details on how to apply for a permit and their responsibilities regarding legal crossovers and maintenance.
Rosemary Cousin	9/10/24	Update on Mirboo North Pool	Repair works at the Mirboo North Pool are being undertaken under Council’s insurance policy, by a contractor engaged by Council’s insurer. As mentioned in the most recent (4 October) media release, most of the damage was sustained to the plant shed and equipment housed in the plant shed, which means that initial works may not be immediately visible. Contractors have been on site, in the plant room, and have cleaned up and secured the work area. These are small but necessary steps. It is important that plant room works are progressed first, as they are both the most complex and most important in relation to the reopening. Without repairs to the some of the core operating systems, the pool cannot be safely reopened. The contractor engaged to complete the repair works will guide us on the completion of key activities, or milestones, and these will be communicated broadly once they are achieved. Council meets regularly with the Mirboo North Recovery Group and together produce a weekly Recovery Update (displayed at the Recovery Centre and on local noticeboards) and a column for the MN times. Additionally, a dedicated Mirboo North Pool Repairs page has been established on Council’s website, where updates will be communicated. Key milestones will also be posted to Council’s Facebook page which can then be shared to other pages.
Scott Rae	15/10/24	Catering	Council's catering budget for 2024/25 is $31,973, which is similar to previous years. The total budgeted rates and charges revenue for the 2024/25 financial year is $52,178,000.
James Forbes	17/10/24	Minutes	Council experienced a website malfunction that resulted in a problem with the minutes/agenda section of the website. A manual fix has been undertaken today which has restored meeting minutes for the last two years. Additional years are in the process of being uploaded. We apologise for the glitch and hope to have it rectified very soon.
Don Hill	19/10/24	FOI Requests	Council experienced a website malfunction that resulted in a problem with the minutes/agenda section of the website. A manual fix has been undertaken today which has restored meeting minutes for the last two years. Additional years are in the process of being uploaded. We apologise for the glitch and hope to have it rectified very soon.
Rosemary Cousin	21/10/24	Emergency Recovery Victoria support	Council has contacted the Emergency Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760 and confirmed that they are still providing recover support to members of the community in Mirboo North. The Emergency Recovery Victoria website also identifies the recovery support available in relation to the February 2024 Victorian Storms. This may include help with things like: Insurance claims and legal matters. Financial support. Mental health and wellbeing. Finding local services in your area. The Hazardous Tree and Demolition programs closed in September, but recovery support continues.
Rosemary Cousin	23/10/24	Procurement & Contract Variation and Redundancies	Given that not all of the purchases of goods and services (including works) to the value of $250,000 or more may be subjected to an open tender process, in this term of Council just concluded, how many purchases were not subjected to open tender, and if any, what were the purchase/s for and at which Council Meeting was each non tendered purchase reported? Council makes thousands of purchases each year. These are delivered in accordance with the Procurement Policy. For any purchases of goods and services non-tendered (including works) to the value of $250,000 projects that were not subjected to open tendering, what action was taken to ensure any Councillors and/or their immediate families or employees of the Shire and/or their immediate families were not involved in or beneficiaries of any decision making with regard to these purchases? Councillors are not included in any tendering or Council purchasing process. Staff operate in accordance with the Procurement Policy and Employee Code of Conduct. Were any contract variations made by the CEO in this term of Council just concluded, if so, how many, for what projects and for what extent of $ variations for each; and to which Council Meeting was each variation reported? Variations to contracts beyond any allocated provisions or contingency amounts are handled in accordance with Council's Procurement Policy and reported at subsequent Council Meetings. These minutes are available on Council's website. Given that the CEO's approval follows 'consultation with the Mayor' what action is taken to ensure the Mayor and/or any other Councillors or employees of the Shire and their respective families were not involved in or beneficiaries of any decision making on their contract variation? Councillors are not included in any tendering or Council purchasing process. Staff operate in accordance with the Procurement Policy and Employee Code of Conduct. Councillors are required to declare any potential conflicts. As the stated key objectives of the restructure included optimising resources, why were 18 new or vacant positions made available - a net increase of three new or vacant positions, and at what cost? Fifteen positions were disestablished, affecting 14 staff members as one position was vacant. The disestablished positions were restructured to create 15 new positions. Additionally, three vacancies in existing roles (not affected by the disestablishment) were intentionally kept open to provide more redeployment opportunities for impacted staff. Were any redundancy payments made to Council employees when the 15 positions were disestablished? If so, at what cost to the Shire? It is not appropriate for Council to comment on staff employment conditions. Did the Shire provide counselling or retraining support for employees during this restructure process and if so, at what cost to the Shire? Impacted staff were provided with support options during the restructure process. How many of the 14 personnel in the old Infrastructure Maintenance team were re-employed in the new Infrastructure Maintenance team? It is not appropriate for Council to comment on staff employment conditions. What are the actual dollar savings/costs and the actual improvements to/reductions in service delivery that has been achieved in this 'optimisation of resources' redundancy-rehire-restructure process? It is too early to determine whether the restructure will result in service improvements or budget savings. By adopting a more efficient approach to our work, we are seeking to improve service delivery in response to rising operational costs and budget constraints while still maintaining high-quality outcomes. Upon reflection, could the review and restructure process have been handled in a more cost effective and less personnel-traumatic manner? The process was handled appropriately.