Plan for City Futures up for debate

While council was recommended to acknowledge a report concluding it was not financially viable for organisations within the directorate to operate as independent entities, an alternative motion to release the report to the public for feedback was carried.

The report was conducted after an Independent Review of council operations recommended the City of Greater Bendigo explore the possibility of the organisations in question - including the Bendigo Art Gallery - becoming self-sufficient. 

Cr Helen Leach put forward an alternative motion for the report to be released to the public and for a final decision on its contents to be withheld for six weeks, to allow the public to have a say on the matter.

"(The report) looks like an attempt to thwart the objective of the independent review," she said. "Releasing it would lead to no harm and may even lead to some good."

Cr Elise Chapman said the report "missed the mark" and did not adequately outline a plan detailing how the entities could become separate within five years.

Cr Williams disagreed with Cr Chapman's summary of the report, saying she and Cr Leach were being critical of the executive's recommendation but not presenting an alternative course of action.

“If we don’t accept that advice, than it’s inherent on us to come up with solutions and ideas and I don’t see that happening," he said.

Cr Leach's alternative motion was carried.

Also in the meeting, council voted to release the Commercial Land and Activity Centre Strategy to the public and approved The Foundry Hotel Complex's request for additional pokie machines.

Council also voted to request the Minister for planning authorise the council to prepare and exhibit a planning scheme amendment to the High Street entrance to the Bendigo central business district, to beautify the entrance to the city.

Councillors also responded to numerous petitions submitted to council, including one urging council to install speed humps in Kronk Street, Golden square.

Council voted not to install speed humps but to explore other options of preventing drivers from speeding.