IT is urgent and important that the review of the City of Greater Bendigo’s provision of Home and Community Care services be substantially extended. Councillors need to better consider the potential negative consequences of such a retrograde action that flies in the face of community interest.
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I recently attended an information session about the provisional decision for the City of Greater Bendigo to move out of HACC service delivery and it was far from a complete community consultation process.
It was clear that there was strong community sentiment against the loss of vital, local and valued community services provided by the council.
The community needs to be aware that there are options beyond those outlined by the mayor, CEO and council staff at these meetings.
The apparent imperative of $1.3 million budget savings and desire by some to privatise the HACC services fails to acknowledge the City of Greater Bendigo budget statement 2014-15 that, “The operating budget again demonstrates that service delivery is our core business and that the City provides services across a wide spectrum”.
In addition, the City of Greater Bendigo 2013 review of Aged and Disability services report recommends, “A blended approach with in-house assessment, the retention of some re-scoped services and and some outsourced services appears as the preferred option.”
The benefits of this option were described as enabling the council to retain selected functions, therefore continuing its role as a trusted supplier, plus it was claimed it would minimise workforce impacts.
We have mixed messages regarding the council's role as a service provider.
This occurs when the message accompanying the provisional decision of the council to exit this sphere of community services is heard in conjunction with the budget statement and the review recommendations.
In light of this, further alternative paths of action, including investing in council staff and services, need to be thoroughly investigated, and the way to do so is via extension of the review process and proper community consultation.
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