9.06pm: Just confirming, councillors voted to refuse a permit for the development at Axedale.
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7.48pm: The gallery has emptied for the evening as councillors begin their reports. That's the guts of tonight's meeting - I'll update this stream once I clarify what's happened with the earlier application for Axedale. But otherwise, thanks for following along!
7.41pm: Cr Metcalf is speaking to the council's submission to the local government reform paper.
She says some of the issues haven't been flagged with councils previously, and is hopeful the minister will take what councils have to say on board.
Cr Metcalf says there is consistency in the feedback from Victorian councils.
Cr Williams says he sees the reform as positive, but joins his fellow councillors in expressing concern about the highlighted points in the submission.
We've run through these in a previous article, which can be found here.
"I just hope they listen," Cr Williams adds.
7.32pm: Cr Alden is speaking to the Reconciliation Plan 2016-19 annual progress report. In fact, a number of councillors are addressing the report.
7.30pm: If you're on the Greater Bendigo Rural Communities Committee, your ears might have been burning. Your names were just read in the council meeting, as councillors expressed their delight in your involvement.
7.24pm: All Ages All Abilities Issues and Opportunities Report is up next. The draft report sounds like it will be an interesting read, with mental health, homelessness and food insecurity raised as issues of importance to the community during the community engagement process.
Cr Alden says this has been some of the most extensive consultation work council has done in its term.
Looks like we'll all get a chance to read it - councillors have agreed to release the draft report, which will be publicly exhibited for four weeks. Public discussions about this report are encouraged, according to the motion that's just been carried.
Feedback will contribute to the final report.
7.15pm: A couple of what Cr Matt Emond says are small changes to the Integrated Municipal Emergency Management Plan has seen it come before council for endorsement.
Councillors don't seem to be enjoying pronouncing the title of the plan, as it's tripping them up a little.
Changes, as they've been outlined so far, include stronger recognition of traditional owners, consideration of climate change impacts, and updated appendices.
The updated appendices include information about demographics, health and wellbeing data, and "local arrangements specific to City of Greater Bendigo".
All of the councillors speaking to this - Cr Emond, Cr Metcalf, Cr Williams, and now Cr Fyffe - have stressed the importance of this work.
7.12pm: Heathcote residents, this next one is for you. It's the Heathcote Township Plan. Cr Yvonne Wrigglesworth is running through what's been put before the council and is enthusiastic that the plan be adopted.
And so it has been.
7.05pm: I'm going to seek clarification about who voted how for that last matter, as it was tricky to see from where I was. So, apologies, but I will get back to you with an answer.
The councillors are outlining another application for a permit - this time, for a two-lot subdivision at 1 Melita Court, Ascot. Cr Malcolm Pethybridge is finding this one tough to decide.
Cr James Williams doesn't support the application - and he's not alone.
6.55pm: With the applicant believed to be the provider of about 40 jobs, including 10 apprenticeships, the councillors are keen to justify their stances and highlight aspects of the proposal.
It's a retrospective proposal, so the business is already operating at the site.
It says in the report to councillors that the use of the farming land came to the city's notice when a works crew member noticed a large number of vehicles and equipment being stored at the site.
6.46pm: There's an application before the council for a permit for use of land at 45 Ingham Road, Axedale, for industry. Namely, for manufacture and maintenance of mining and agricultural equipment.
Cr Yvonne Wrigglesworth is outlining the proposal, which the councillors have been advised to refuse.
6.38pm: And it looks like the applicant will get their permit, with councillors eager to congratulate all involved on reaching a compromise.
Just to be clear, the proposal is for the main residence - a building found to be of historical significance - to be retained on the largest block in the subdivision.
This matter has been ongoing for almost three years, according to Cr Andrea Metcalf.
6.35pm: Looks like councillors have taken the suggestion of the church members on board. They've moved on to discussing plans to subdivide Nanga Gnulle - a former function venue in Strathdale.
Cr Andrea Metcalf is outlining some of the site's history. It has been recomm tended the council issue a permit.
6.29pm: We were zipping through the petitions, but the Central Bendigo Uniting Church Cluster submission on Australia Day has got our councillors talking.
A number of church members and associates have suggested the city reconsider the way it celebrates Australia Day on January 26. Councillors Jennifer Alden and Rod Fyffe have thrown their support behind the proposal, and were among a number of people who voted for it.
Councillor Andrea Metcalf abstained from the vote, saying she disagreed with the rigid steps outlined in the report to councillors and therefore could not support it.
6.22pm: Councillors have decided to go with the recommendation in today's agenda regarding the precinct proposal.
6.17pm: Petitions are up now. The first is by the McIvor Cottage Industries Co-operative, concerning a proposal to build an integrated civic precinct in Heathcote.
The co-operative does not want to have to relocate to an alternative building within the precinct as part of the proposed development.
6.12pm: Wondering why flags were at half mast in Bendigo for a week? It was out of respect for Uncle Brien Nelson, who sadly died last month. My colleague, Natalie Croxon, wrote a moving tribute to Uncle Brien. Click here to read it.
6.08pm: Bendigo mayor Margaret O'Rourke has returned from Timor-Leste, where she was travelling as part of the Team 57 Bendigo Maubisse Friendship Committee. We have started with a number of community items, including congratulations to Symons' Dairy on 100 years of business.
6pm: IT'S that night of the month - get set for some local government news from Greater Bendigo.
We're expecting councillors to tell us what they think of proposed local government reforms, and plans to subdivide Nanga Gnulle.
Also on tonight's meeting agenda is a petition from several members of the Central Bendigo Uniting Church Cluster, which calls on the council to reconsider plans for Australia Day in the spirit of reconciliation.
Council meeting agenda, July 2019
Here are a couple of the stories we've already written about each of the aforementioned ideas:
But there are a couple of other interesting items we'll be keeping an ear out for.
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