That marks the end of the main agenda items. We're up to councillor reports. I'm off to re-listen to the meeting, catch up on any of the points I've missed.

Thank you for bearing with me and my poor hearing. Any questions or points you'd like to raise, please shoot us through an email to addynews@bendigoadvertiser.com.au

7.31pm: Council is now onto the rail transport link - agenda item 4.1. City staff are trying to make it easier to hear some of the councillors.

7.14pm: Golden Square Swimming Pool item is up now. Cr Emond is reading it out. He has recommended the decision be deferred until June.

A deferral is not something council does take lightly, Cr Emond said, describing it as an extraordinary circumstance.

"I don't think I've read an email happy with the recommendation," he said.

Cr Fyffe, who seconded the motion, said there was a need for further consideration.

By continuing the dialogue council can find a better solution, he said.

The other thing he said he had noticed was there was a number of questions people wanted clarification of.

"What we have is the cricket club saying the pool decision is everyone coming together and talking about it and I think we need to respect that," Cr Fyffe said.

He sees the need for more in-depth analysis.

Cr Alden said poor communication had been the hallmark of the whole process, and the community was poorer for it.

She described the hard-working local group that is the Golden Square Pool as a shining light and is running through its achievements and benefits for the community.

"This community in general has been treated unfairly through the uncertainty of this whole process," Cr Alden said.

She believed not all user groups had an opportunity to meet, even informally, since the last formal meeting.

Cr Hawke said she would like further time to consider the decision.

"I'm a lot more comfortable with this recommendation put forward by Cr Emond," she said.

Cr Metcalf is speaking but I can barely hear her.

I think she's saying there could be an alternative recommendation, but I can't hear what it is. If anyone is checking audio levels, please help!

Cr Emond said a deferral is vital for all user groups.

He said there was no magic fairy dust that was going to come up with a magic solution until all user groups had an opportunity to discuss.

The alternate motion had five for it, one against, and one abstaining.

7.06pm: The item the mayor spoke about earlier, regarding Catherine McAuley College, is now up. It's agenda item 3.2, for those following along at home, and is a proposed joint use agreement for a sporting and community facility at the college in Junortoun.

Cr Susie Hawke has voiced her support for the proposal, as is Cr Fyffe right now.

Cr Fyffe has dubbed joint agreements the "way of the future".

Cr Metcalf and Cr Emond are also supportive. Cr Emond said the city had a number of joint user agreements in place.

"I think this one will have a tremendous outcome," he said.

Motion has been carried.

7pm: Cr Metcalf is reading through agenda item 3.1, which is about the community engagement policy review.

Cr Metcalf's microphone is definitely not projecting loudly enough.

The gist of it, based on the recommendation, is that the council remove the 2016 community engagement policy and approve and adopt the 2020 policy.

Cr Alden has highlighted the importance of community engagement. Cr Emond has reinforced that point.

Motion has been carried.

6.53pm: If someone from the city is monitoring this feed, it's quite difficult to hear what's happening within the chambers from outside.

Cr Andrea Metcalf is reading through agenda item 2.3, which relates to a proposed two lot subdivision for 330 Napier Street in Bendigo.

The proposal would involve the demolition of an existing dwelling and the development of two dwellings.

Cr Matt Emond, who is for some reason easier to hear, said there were requests from council to amend the plans so the plan wouldn't dominate the landscape.

"In this instance, a potential unwillingness to amend plans has led to a situation where a refusal is recommended," Cr Emond said.

Cr Alden said there were concerns about the proposal.

Neighbourhood character seems to be a dominant concern related to this proposal.

Cr Alden said she supported the recommendation for refusal. Councillors have, collectively, carried the motion.

6.46pm: We're onto agenda item 2.1, which is regarding a planning scheme amendment.

The amendment proposes to implement the Huntly Development Contributions Plan from July 2019, according to the agenda.

Cr Rod Fyffe is vouching his support, and said these processes can sometimes take time.

The council has carried the motion with very little debate and moved on to 2.2 - another planning matter.

This one implements the Strathfieldsaye Urban Design Framework and Strathfieldsaye Township Plan.

An independent planning panel has already made recommendations, which the city has recommended councillors accept.

The motion has been carried.

6.44pm: Declaration of conflicts of interest - Cr O'Rourke says she has a personal interest in one of the matters listed in the agenda, regarding Catherine McAuley College, but assured her ability to make a decision in the best interest of the community. Her daughters attend the school.

6.38pm: Standing orders have resumed, and Cr Jennifer Alden is about to make a report.

She's made the point this might be the last time for a while councillors can rattle off a long list of community engagements, given COVID-19 precautions, and pointed out that councillors will have to look at other ways of engaging.

While I have time to make note of it, I should say that Cr James Williams is an apology today, and Cr Malcolm Pethybridge has a leave of absence.

6.33pm: We're still on questions, and the mayor wasn't kidding when she said there were plenty of them this evening.

Specifically, we're still on questions related to the Golden Square Swimming Pool.

Mayor Margaret O'Rourke has repeatedly said it was clear a user group wouldn't be happy, no matter what the decision.

The last few questions have been about community consultation and whether the decision could be held over to April.

Mayor has said, from what I've understood, a decision regarding the Golden Square Pool would be necessary to allow for further master planning.

All the questions in writing have been read out and answered. There's one from a member of the public gallery, Max, who is wondering how council can make a decision at this point.

Master plan work has happened, the mayor said, but it has come to a point where it was awaiting council's decision.

The last contact between council and interested parties seems to have been in August 2019.

6.10pm: Coronavirus dominated much of the community section the city stages during its meetings.

We're now up to questions from the public, which the mayor says we've got a number of this evening.

So far we've had two questions - the first was about a specific estate, which the city said it would respond to in more detail.

The second - which the mayor is still reading out - is related to a second valuation for the Lyttleton Terrace site the city intends to sell to make way for the Bendigo GovHub.

Cr O'Rourke says council officers have obtained a second, independent valuation, which will feed into the valuation for the land.

The third question is also about the GovHub and relates to whether or not the city's decision is in breach of any laws.

"None of these constitute a breach of constitution or legal requirement, nor is council aware of other breaches..." the mayor said, after running through some of the changes that have taken place so far to accommodate the GovHub's development.

Fourth question is also on GovHub, regarding whether there is upcoming consultation about the city's decision to partake in the state government project.

"The city has consulted with residents on a number of occasions," Cr O'Rourke says.

First example she's provided dates back to 2013, then 2018, then a community consultation on July 27, 2019.

She says there have also been other consultation activities, including responding to more than 20 letters from the person asking the question.

An attendee in the public gallery is now asking a question, which is not entirely clear to hear from outside the chambers.

Mayor says council has considered all aspects of co-location with the state government, with no issues raised.

Council would be on one floor and not mixed with any other floor, the mayor said.

She said PwC valued the productivity increases in the millions of dollars.

The mayor said there was support for the project in consultation.

"There is now vital importance these projects continue," the mayor said.

Next question is also on the GovHub - the mayor is now running through the expected benefits of the project, including a boost to the economy.

Further question is about whether major decisions will be suspended due to the state of emergency declared in Victoria due to the coronavirus pandemic - there is a tinge of GovHub to the question.

The mayor said the city was monitoring the advice from the government, but mentioned the importance of supporting the GovHub project, especially in the current conditions.

We're now up to questions about the Golden Square Pool, which is on tonight's meeting agenda.

The mayor said, regardless of the decision, it was clear there would be a group disappointed.

Another question on Golden Square sporting facilities, regarding why female participation in sport is being held back by the potential decision on the swimming pool.

"Council is considering multiple master plan options for the reserve, with each having an impact on multiple user groups," the mayor said.

"It is necessary to point out council has invested significantly in female-friendly facilities in this term and the previous term of council."

Sam Kane, the Golden Square Pool president, is asking his question in person - he's in the gallery.

Unfortunately, it's difficult to hear. Mayor is reading out the question, which is about whether the city still has confidence in the pool's management.

Mayor said the city had confidence in the pool's management.

Further question on how long the city is taking to complete the aquatic strategy.

"The aquatic strategy has progressed... not as quickly as we would have liked," Cr O'Rourke said.

Sounded like a draft strategy might be presented in the coming months.

We've had a few more questions on the Golden Square Pool and precinct, ranging from the process for damage repairs to the provision of facilities for other growing sports.

6pm: This is the first council meeting we've had since the coronavirus pandemic was declared, and things are a little different in the council chambers.

Mayor, Cr Margaret O'Rourke has opened the meeting with a speech about the measures the city is taking to minimise the threat of COVID-19.

That extends from social distancing during tonight's meeting - there's a marked reduction in the number of seats in the public gallery, and the councillors are seated at much greater distance than usual.

Cr O'Rourke is also running through changes affecting Goldfields Libraries, Bendigo Venues and Events, and contact with the city.

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