Saleyards still in limbo

Council delays decision again, waits for blueprint

THE City of Greater Geelong has further delayed a drawnout judgment on the future of the city’s historic saleyards.

The council had forecast that a decision on the future of the partially-shut saleyards would be made in June.

The cattle yards of the 148year-old complex have been closed since last August, although sheep sales returned to the site in February after months of inaction.

Geelong’s administrators decided last December to defer a decision on repairs to the cattle yards, and future operations of the facility, until several reports and strategies were completed.

The council vowed the issue would be resolved at its scheduled June 27 meeting, with that commitment still publicised on its website yesterday.

However the issue is not on the council’s advertised agenda for the meeting.

The Geelong Advertiser has learnt the council is awaiting an industry blueprint — which is being crafted by a large project group — to be finished before administrators make the final call.

“The draft regional agribusiness strategy will be provided to the City’s administrators next month, prior to the July council meeting,” city services director William Tieppo said.

“The City will continue to provide interim support for cattle producers,” Mr Tieppo said.

Ten months after the saleyards were closed due to safety fears, the council has determined the full costing of required OH & S works needed at the site.

The figures, which have not been released, will be reviewed by a saleyards advisory committee next week.

The saleyards, which have suffered from a long-term lack of maintenance and upgrades, have cost the council an average of $171,000 per year over the past decade.

Another administrator-requested document, a local stock market analysis, was released in May. It noted the constraints of the existing saleyards and called for further investigations into the most suitable livestock exchange facility for the future.

Fortnightly sheep sales are still being held at the North Geelong site, with numbers at the last sale being less than half of the 1449 sold at the first event in February.

The council’s administrators will also consider further delaying the planned closure of three suburban libraries across the city.

The council resolved in April to close Chilwell and Highton libraries by the end of June, and the Barwon Heads branch by September.

Council officers are now recommending that funding for the three libraries is confirmed through to June next year.