Council to vote on town plans

Campaspe Shire Council will vote tonight on whether to add more financial rigour to place-based plans across the shire to ensure buildings, services and more are being made full use of by communities.

Town-based facility reviews will be put in place alongside future PBPS, which will assess and evaluate the effectiveness of and need for current assets in the community.

A report prepared for council said the town-based reviews would consider if assets — focusing more on council-owned ones, but also Crown and communityowned assets — were fit for purpose and if there were opportunities to share facilities and services.

“To date, the development of PBPS has not challenged the community on the affordability and use of current assets or the financial implications these may have on council's sustainability, nor have they been asked to,” the council report said.

The report said it would help avoid duplicating assets or exceeding the required service level, as well as giving communities the chance to look at all assets that could be consolidated or repurposed to help save costs.

Council will also vote to adopt its 10-year capital works program.

The vote was deferred at last month’s council meeting to give councillors more time to read over the plan, which provides an overview of council’s planned spending on infrastructure upgrades and renewal over the coming decade.

Council will also vote on a council expenses policy review, and on a proposal for the use of land for intensive animal production near Gunbower.

Council's August meeting begins at 6pm, Wednesday, August 18, and is livestreamed on council’s website.