Wellington Shire Council’s ordinary council meeting took place on Tuesday, August 15, with apologies from Councillors Gayle Maher and Marcus McKenzie. Sale of surplus land, new tenderers, interim financial figures, and acknowledgement of community events were on the agenda.

Interim financial figures

Councillor Garry Stephens spoke about the financial performance of council. There’s a statutory requirement to report on Council’s finances every few months.

The June 2023 Council Performance Report is an interim overview of the finances and is interim until an audit is complete.

Council cash holdings at the end of June 2023 are $136.6 million, higher than June 2022’s reported $130.8 million, due to new or additional grant funding and delayed expenditure – mainly towards capital projects. This money includes $17.1 million linked to the Victoria Grant Commission (VGC) advance for 2023/24.

Due to higher interest rates, the Council earned $3.2 million in interest on investments.

Cr Stephens noted that user fees were up by over $1 million after being impacted “during the COVID years”.

Regarding the “excess funds” or “surplus”, Wellington Shire Council Mayor Ian Bye said in a statement to the Gippsland Times that this stems “from the early receipt of just over $17 million in government grant funding during the 2022/23 financial year, a year ahead of schedule”.

“Each year, Victoria Grant Commission funding is delivered to Victorian councils in a way that can create a substantial surplus appearance. However, this surplus is essentially an anomaly in the way Council must report on its finances,” Cr Bye said.

“Every Victorian council receives substantial grant funding from the commission in this way, and unfortunately, this data continues to show up as a surplus in council reporting.

“Nevertheless, when adjusted and considered with other advance payments, Council’s financial outcome for the last financial year is commendable given the impact of inflation, rising expenses, as well as lower-than-expected income post COVID-19 and throughout a period of economic recovery.”

Ratepayers facing hardship can seek support

Wellington ratepayers have likely received their new rates and valuation notice via mail or email by now.

Cr Stephens said that ratepayers who are struggling financially can receive help from council.

“They need to get in touch with our rates staff immediately,” he said.

“We will deal with anyone that’s having issues paying their rates in a sympathetic matter and try to help them work through these issues.”

A financial hardship application form is available on the Wellington Shire website.

Acknowledgements and new community builds

Councillor John Tatterson attended the annual Gippstar Awards in Morwell and acknowledged the Sale United Football Club senior women who were named the 2022/23 Team of the Year.

Cr Carolyn Crossley returned to her “old stomping ground” at the Cowwarr Football-Netball Club project to see the upgrades of the court and surrounds. This includes new lighting for night training and a new playground, with some of the funding coming from Council.

Cr Crossley and Councillor Carmel Ripper attended a Maffra Rotary Club meet and greet.

Cr Ripper spoke about the upgrades to the Valencia Creek Memorial Hall, with funding from the Latrobe Valley Authority and Council. Cr Ripper and Cr Bye also mentioned the Newry Hall’s floor reveal – the Canadian oak flooring wood was imported by ASH in Heyfield.

Cr Bye attended Gumnuts Early Learning Centre’s official opening of their new kindergarten building in Sale.

Cr Crossley noted the high number of community events that had taken place in the last few weeks, “down from Dargo to Yarram, and everything in between”.

Aqua Energy and Integrated Centre developments

The successful tenderer was announced for the Sale Integrated Centre for Families and Children. Perkins Architecture has been chosen for design work on the project. If all goes to plan, the centre will open in 2026.

Located on Gibson’s Road, adjacent to the Gippsland Regional Sports Complex, the centre will bring together a range of services, working in collaboration to deliver education, care, health and support services to children and their families in the North Sale growth area. The Sale Feasibility Study (2022) found that “there is both a current and future shortfall in the number of licensed places for kindergarten and childcare” in the region.

Brooker Builders was announced as the successful tenderer for Aqua Energy construction.

Surplus land up for Sale

The council-owned land at 32 Paradise Beach Rd in Paradise Beach, 12 Firefly Rd in Golden Beach, and 9-11 Shoreward Way, also in Golden Beach, will be put up for sale. Notices were placed by the Council of the intention to sell this land.

Council noted that no submissions were received regarding the potential sale of all three listed surplus land, and will hopefully be sold soon to a future ratepayer.

Comments from gallery

Christine Timmerman of Alberton requested that ‘wildlife ahead’ warning signs be added to the wildlife corridor for the Strzelecki-Nooramunga Biolink.

Graham James of Gelliondale spoke against the Gelliondale Wind Farm project, which Synergy Wind spearheads. Mr James said there was “nothing environmentally good” about it.