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The Bendigo Advertiser will be updating live from the chamber tonight, with the new mayor to be elected after the public meeting.
Much debate is expected, with several significant items on the agenda this week including the 2013/14 City of Greater Bendigo Annual Report, the Greater Bendigo Residential Strategy and a 21-lot subdivision at Junortoun.
Cr Elise Chapman will also move a notice of motion calling for a report on the potential use of the former Coliban Water site in Alder Street, Golden Square for the Greater Bendigo Indoor Aquatic Leisure and Wellbeing Centre.
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UPDATE 9.30PM: Now onto the Economic Development Strategy 2014-2020. Then onto the response to the Kangaroo Flat Leisure Centre petition.
Cr Peter Cox says the two biggest employers in Bendigo were health and retail, and the plan will work towards building upon that while also diversifying.
"We need to take this a step further and support businesses to create jobs," he said.
No surprise that Cr Leach is speaking against the strategy - she has opposed almost everything on the agenda so far.
Cr Elise Chapman is also "really disappointed" that she didn't get a list of all submissions before the meeting tonight, saying she won't be supporting it on that basis.
UPDATE 9.23PM: Councillors conflicted about the right outcome for the O'Keefe Rail Trail with much disagreement for future plans. Lots of members of the gallery interested in the outcome, making lots of noise.
UPDATE 9PM: About 20 members of the public remain in the chamber. Looks like they're up for the roller coaster ride too, with almost all agenda items attracting debate.
UPDATE 8.48PM: The human rights charter up now. Cr Rod Campbell says it was about common sense - freedom, dignity, respect.
But Cr Leach says including the charter in council was unnecessary because people were protected by state legislation.
"This is not the role of local government," she says.
"There are more pressing issues for council to deal with than replicating a document that is already included in our country's law... (we should be focusing on) high rate rises and other things that are concerning residents."
Seems like there hasn't been many motions that Cr Leach has supported tonight.
Cr James Williams says the document was important and revealed the maturity of the council.
Cr Elise Chapman backs Cr Leach's comments saying "it looks like someone just needed something to do and it seems like it's just been copied and pasted".
"We already have human rights under law," she said.
But Cr Ruffel says it's about taking initiative.
UPDATE 8.41PM: Now some smaller matters to deal with, the Annual Report - Works Unit 2013/14 and Annual Report - Bendigo Livestock Exchange 2013/14.
Looks like councillors are having a say on every item tonight.
Coming up, we have debate on the Kangaroo Flat aquatic centre and of course - the mayoral vote.
UPDATE 8.39PM: After a very lengthy debate, Bendigo's residential strategy is adopted by councillors.
UPDATE 8.04PM: Residential strategy up now, with Cr Helen Leach moving an alternate motion. She wants several parcels of land in the Bendigo region to be included in the strategy.
A bit of confusion around the table as to the alternate motion - and it's hot in the chambers!
Looks like it's going to be a long night for councillors - and they still have to decide on a new mayor.
Cr Ruffel says the amended motion to include outer land "makes common sense", but Cr Cox says "we have a different opinion of common sense".
Laughter from the audience.
"It shouldn't be up to us to nitpick the strategy and we are starting a process where everyone can put forward ideas, then it'll go to an independent panel and then we can make these decisions," Cr Cox said.
Cr Campbell agrees, saying council should not be making decisions on the run.
Looks like the original motion for the residential strategy will go ahead.
"There's over two years of research that has gone into this document and (it focuses on small towns)," Cr Cox said.
"I would love to include (those other parcels of land) but now is not the time."
UPDATE 7.31PM: Debate heats up, with councillors discussing the Marong Business Park. Councillors will decide whether to rezone the land to make way for an industrial estate. A very controversial one, with several objections noted.
But most councillors agree the rezoning is the way to go.
"This is the location, it's perfect," Cr Rod Campbell said.
"This is the way forward for our city."
Cr James Williams also speaks highly of the proposal, saying the park would not just serve Bendigo but Northern Victoria.
"It will take 10 or 20 years to see this happen, but... we need to make this decision today to work towards the vision," he said.
"We are seeing an acceleration of growth in this city and this is an important, necessary move."
Cr Helen Leach speaks against the proposal though, saying she did not agree that farmers could go on farming around an industrial estate.
Cr Cox says with such a large, expanding population, you must plan for jobs, and "that's what this is all about".
"We're not here to be popular, we are here to make sound decisions," he said.
Director Stan Liacos says the project research has cost upwards of $500,000 or $600,000 over eight years, "but it's a big project for the council".
But Cr Ruffel says "how much do we have to pay to investigate something that the community doesn't want?"
Cr Campbell sums up, with councillors voting to approve the motion.
UPDATE 7.20PM: Marong Business Park proposal up now, and it looks like this one will be deferred to.
Cr Lisa Ruffel is calling on the matter to be deferred for one meeting to allow councillors to discuss the proposal with concerned residents.
But Cr Cox speaks against the deferral, saying no decisions are being made by councillors tonight.
He says the matter must move forward because it has been in the pipeline for years and community consultation can come with time.
Cr Ruffel sums up, saying the community doesn't want it.
"How can we support this when there are empty lots at the Bendigo East industrial estate?" she says.
"This is a community that is broken up because of us, and ultimately (this business park) is wrong."
But councillors vote to go ahead with discussion tonight.
Cr Rod Campbell says the proposal has been discussed since 2008, and much work has been done since.
"We have to provide jobs for our growing population and we have to provide them in a number of areas," He said.
UPDATE 7.13PM: A 21-lot subdivision at Junortoun up now, but Cr Cox is calling on councillors to defer the proposal saying there was a lot of new information that was yet to be presented to council and needed to be considered.
"It's very important we do this and I would rather defer it than move a motion to reject the application," he said.
Motion approved - so councillors will discuss the matter in coming weeks.
UPDATE 7.07PM: Cr Peter Cox now tables a petition from residents, who are concerned about the continual rate rises and are calling on a report to be presented to councillors about how council's money is being spent.
UPDATE 6.52PM: Annual report up now. Cr James Williams speaks highly of the report, saying council continued to deliver outcomes in a cost effective way.
He said Bendigo was the third biggest region in the state, and the city continues to grow.
"It's a terrific result and I think Bendigo can only become stronger as a place," he said.
"I think this report highlights the hard work of the staff and all we achieve."
Cr Rod Fyffe praises the achievements of council, but Cr Helen Leach says there is a long way to go with community engagement and rate prices.
Cr Mark Weragoda said, "why wouldn't you look at this annual report and be proud".
Cr Lisa Ruffell agrees, saying the council was not perfect but "wow, look at all we've done".
The annual report is adopted in a unanimous vote.
UPDATE 6.50PM: Cr Rod Fyffe gives an update on the last three weeks at council, before councillors discuss the 2013/14 annual report.
UPDATE 6.36PM: Public question time up now. Resident Colin Carrington takes the stand. He says he is reluctant to see more money being put into Hargreaves Mall, but says the images there need to be changed to make the space more vital.
Chief executive Craig Niemann explains there is no proposal to change the current screens, but there has been much community discussion regarding the issue.
Now Don McKinnon, of Kangaroo Flat comes to the stand. He speaks of a past petition with 740 signatures to retain the current Kangaroo Flat leisure centre.
He says a recent meeting which was organised because of the petition should have focused on the leisure centre, rather than the proposed aquatic centre.
Another resident also shares concerns about the aquatic centre and asks about a business plan that council was carrying out in relation to the aquatic centre.
Chief executive Mr Niemann says the plan is still being put together but would be shared with the public once complete.
UPDATE 6.15PM: Councillors will tonight congratulate Graham Atkinson on his inclusion in the Indigenous honour role.
An Aboriginal elder and Vietnam veteran, Mr Atkinson has been a passionate activist for his people and was a driving force behind the implementation of legislation to streamline settling native title claims in Victoria.
Mr Atkinson was nominated for his leadership in the Dja Dja Wurrung community and is one of the original Dja Dja Wurrung Native Title Claimants.
As Dja Dja Wurrung Native Title chair, he last year successfully negotiated the most significant and comprehensive claim in Australia.
Mayor Barry Lyons said Mr Atkinson had worked tirelessly to represent his people and address important unfinished business on their behalf.
“Graham, your steady hand when it comes to negotiating conflicts and politics is a credit to you and a great benefit to the Dja Dja Wurrung community," he said.
Mr Atkinson says he appreciates the heartfelt recognition by Bendigo council.
UPDATE 6.10PM: Tonight's meeting will be held from 6.30pm at the Bendigo Town Hall.