All but three councillors were in support of the proposal. Councillors Flack and Metcalf voted against the recommendation.

Cr Alden abstained from the vote. 

7.53pm: Cr Fyffe is wrapping up the discussion.

"When it comes down to the bottom line we are working very very hard to get the best deal for Bendigo," he says.

"I think we are voting on the best deal with this motion we have before us."

7.43pm: Cr O'Rourke has decided to speak to the issue, given the momentous nature of the decision.

"Yes, council will be paying more rent than it currently does," she says.

But the mayor says the recommended option will save the council the cost of either creating a new office building for its staff, or shouldering the cost of the entire GovHub project.

"It's not a decision that has been taken likely or rushed in my point-of-view," Cr O'Rourke said.

"Greater Bendigo is the envy of our regional counterparts."

She is outlining the state government's spending in the region, totalling $900m in over eight years, not counting the $90m for the GovHub.

The mayor said the fact the government is willing to take on the GovHub project is a vote of confidence in regional Victoria and Greater Bendigo - an opportunity unlikely to come around again.

7.37pm: Cr Alden is definitely in favour of a GovHub.

But she has raised a number of concerns about the recommendation before the council this evening.

She, too, believes there are details yet to be confirmed before a decision can be made.

Cr Alden would have liked to see further modelling on the third option presented before the council.

"It's too soon to know," she says.

Cr Alden will be abstaining from the vote.

7.28pm: Cr Emond says the GovHub is not a cookie-cutter approach.

"What we're dealing with here, our opportunity, is 100 new jobs," he says.

He is supportive of the recommendation and says the GovHub is a wonderful opportunity.

7.23pm: Cr Wrigglesworth says moving to Bendigo to work at Bendigo Health was absolutely a risk worth taking, and described Bendigo as 'a city on the move'.

She is relating her story because she sees parallels between the GovHub proposal and the $630m new Bendigo Hospital Project and the opportunities it's created for the health care group.

"We've got to take the plunge and commit to supporting this option," Cr Wrigglesworth says of the GovHub.

"We shouldn't waste any more time."

She says she is scratching her head at the nature of the objections from the community and is confident councillors have the skills and information to make an informed decision.

7.14pm: Cr Metcalf says she supports the concept of a GovHub. But she is not supportive of the recommendation.

She believes there has been insufficient information provided to the public and the media about the options available to the council.

Her speaking time has twice been extended now.

Cr Metcalf says until she's confident all options presented have been thoroughly explored, and the community has been transparently informed, her answer will be, 'I'll think about it'.

Applause from the gallery.

7.05pm: Cr Williams says Bendigo is presented with a unique opportunity, and it has always been recommended the local government look to the state government to help fund new offices.

"We are doing ourselves a disservice by asking our staff to work in these conditions," Cr Williams says of the existing arrangements, with staff spread over seven offices.

"This is a fantastic offer for Bendigo."

He said the state government's offer had made it a very easy decision for him to make.

"The other options put at risk the long-term viability of this council," Cr Williams said.

7.04pm: Cr Flack has suggested the decision to be deferred to allow for greater community consultation. After a quick word, he's back in his seat.

6.58pm: Cr Pethybridge has thanked people for their calls in relation to the GovHub and their opinions.

He says he has heard the building, constructed over 40 years ago, needs a lot of maintenance.

"The plumbing's not well, the power's not well, it does need a lot of work," Cr Pethybridge says.

He says he's backing the proposal all the way.

6.57pm: Second extension of time granted. Cr Fyffe says GovHub brings together all council workers, creates significant employment in the centre of town, creates a one-stop-shop and enables council to leverage state government funding.

"I think we should seize that with both hands," he says. 

6.55pm: Cr Fyffe has been granted an extension of time. He is running through the available options, and is up to option two, which he does not believe is advisable due to the sum to be borrowed.

Option three, Cr Fyffe believes sounds really good, but he was mindful of the financial repercussions associated with the borrowings that would be required. 

He is quickly skimming through the remaining options. 

"Again, all of those do impact on our ability to raise finance," Cr Fyffe said.

6.52pm: Cr Fyffe is up first. He has cited the benefits of the proposal, including increased efficiency and productivity for the council.

6.48pm: GovHub will now be discussed. 

6.38pm: A proposal to subdivide two lots at Eldridge Court in Kangaroo Flat into 13 lots and construction of five homes. 

Cr Fyffe, Cr Alden, Cr Metcalf and Cr Pethybridge have all spoken to the proposal, thus far.

Cr Fyffe says the decision is a difficult one, which will impact on people.

"We have enough conditions in place to cover all the objections to a satisfactory percent… this is one we can move forward with tonight," he says.

Cr Metcalf believes granting a permit at this stage would be premature, and does not intend to vote in support of the proposal. Cr Pethybridge is with her.

Cr Fyffe says the proposal does provide diversity in that area for people who do want smaller blocks. While he acknowledged the concerns Cr Metcalf and Cr Pethybridge raised, Cr Fyffe maintains his earlier stance.

6.31pm: Couple of petitions quickly dealt with. Cr Alden is speaking to a petition requesting the city to remove a number of Wallangarra White Gum trees in Hasker Drive, in Kangaroo Flat.

The petitioners are concerned the trees present a fire risk and are concerned about mess and maintenance,

Cr Alden says the removal of the trees is contrary to council's strategy.

Cr Fyffe says he has met with he residents of Hasker Drive and promised to raise their concerns. He says he has now done so.

Cr Pethybridge also spoke to the petition.

The motion has been carried.

6.26pm: Cr Matt Emond presents a report to council.

6.19pm: Public question time. No questions have come before the meeting, so Mayor Margaret O'Rourke has thrown it to the floor. 

We have a question on how the GovHub will affect the citys finances, which Cr O'Rourke said would be addressed in tonight's debate. 

A gallery member also asked the sum of the city's debt - $49 million in last budget, as of June 30.

A third question, also on the GovHub, about how the council has reached the conclusion the project's construction would contribute $131 million to the city's economy. 

Answer is also expected to be addressed in the debate about the $90 million project this evening.

6.09pm: The council meeting has been graced by Chinese Lion Dancers!

Bendigo Chinese Association's Doug Lougoon is recapping the journey to Dai Gum Loong's creation and thanking the community for supporting the project.

"I think this will blow people's minds," Mr Lougoon said of this year's Bendigo Advertiser gala Easter parade, where Dai Gum Loong will make his debut.

6.05pm: A report on the blessing of Bendigo's new Imperial dragon, Dai Gum Loong, up next. The blessing is an important part of the dragon-making process and prepares Dai Gum Loong for his journey to Bendigo, which will be his home.

Bendigo mayor Margaret O'Rourke is presenting the speech she delivered in Hong Kong to those present at the meeting.

Read more about Dai Gum Loong's blessing here.

6.01pm: Community section of the meeting is up first. Council's congratulations go to Australia Day award recipients Karen Quinlan AM, former Bendigo Art Gallery director; Eaglehawk's Brian Bourke; and Aunty Fay Carter.

6pm - Welcome to the City of Greater Bendigo meeting for February, 2019.

The proposed GovHub is the big-ticket item on the agenda today.

Councillors are set to decide whether to commit the city to some level of involvement in the state government's proposal, with seven options on the table.

The course of action recommended by the city's staffers is for councillors to agree in-principle to the sale of the land on which the council's Lyttleton Terrace offices stand, making way for the state government to construct a 1000-desk building on the site.

The City of Greater Bendigo would be a tenant in the new building, with up to 400 desks allocated for its offices.

The remaining desks are expected to be allocated to state government staffers, with 100 new jobs promised to Bendigo for its GovHub.

Read more about it here.

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