General News
25 May, 2022
Shire, MCDC at odds over meeting room
A COMMUNITY group has been left frustrated after Moyne Shire Council moved to change the Mortlake Community Centre’s community meeting room in to a new library management hub, but the shire has said the change will result in a net positive for Mortlake.
A COMMUNITY group has been left frustrated after Moyne Shire Council moved to change the Mortlake Community Centre’s community meeting room in to a new library management hub, but the shire has said the change will result in a net positive for Mortlake.
Mortlake Community Development Committee (MCDC) president Kelvin Goodall said the MCDC was left in the lurch after the shire moved to prohibit use of the community meeting room.
Mr Goodall said the MCDC first became aware of the shire’s intention to re-purpose the community meeting room as a hub for the new library service in November last year.
He said the shire had vowed to make alternative arrangements at subsequent meetings but earlier this month informed the MCDC it would be going ahead with its use of the community meeting room, and revising the MCDC’s existing licence agreement.
Moyne Shire Council confirmed the MCDC had been offered a revised licence agreement from July 1 due to the impending dissolution of the Corangamite Regional Library Corporation (CRLC).
The new licence agreement will allow use of the facility, however use of the community meeting room will be excluded under the new agreement.
Mr Goodall said even if the shire was legally able to utilise the community meeting space, its actions were “unfair and immoral”.
“The fact that all the decisions have been made without informing one of the tenants effected by their actions and to deny the community access to a facility that was built specifically for the benefit of our community is unfair and immoral,” he said.
“We call on the Moyne Shire Council to reflect on what is more important: a facility that directly benefits our community and offers something that can’t be found elsewhere in town, or an office and a book depository?
“Surely there are plenty of suitable offices in Moyne and Corangamite to house desks and books without denying the people of our community a community space.”
Mr Goodall said the actions of the Moyne Shire were particularly disappointing after the MCDC had backed the development of the Mortlake Community Centre from the outset.
“MCDC’s support for the project was made in the belief it is a worthy project for funding from the Living Libraries 2016 program,” he said.
“At the very outset MCDC made an in-principle commitment to contribute $50,000 to the project.
“This was to be the largest financial commitment MCDC ever made.”
Mr Goodall said part of the reason for the MCDC’s significant financial support for the project was the purpose-built community room which offered a space “nowhere else available in the town”.
“We looked forward to developing programs with greater use of this facility as we emerge from two years of restrictions and uncertainty,” he said.
“The lease we currently have gave us certainty of tenure until June 30, 2028, including use of the community room shared with the library.
“What really hurts is the way the shire has shown so little respect to its tenants and the community.
“The complete lack of consultation, delivering an ultimatum at the last minute with no option to negotiate is not good faith negotiation.”
Moyne Shire director corporate and community services David Rae said Moyne Shire Council plans to convert the meeting room in to a management hub for the new joint library service, which the shire will operate in conjunction with Corangamite Shire Council.
He said council acknowledged the difficulty in making such a change but felt there would be an overall positive impact for the community.
“This arrangement is for three years and will see three new positions based in Mortlake,” Mr Rae said.
“While we acknowledge the change is upsetting the overarching benefit to the Moyne community is far greater by having a fully utilised room.
“Basing the hub for the joint library service in Mortlake will further embed important council services in the town, create new jobs which have flow on effects for other businesses and will ensure library
services can continue to be offered to the community.
“Having the management hub based in one of the main library branches also makes sense.”
Mr Rae said council needed to draft a new licence agreement for the MCDC due to the winding-up of the CRLC.
“Council has met with MCDC a number of times about the plan and has offered a number of solutions on where they can hold their monthly meetings,” he said.
“Council has also thoroughly reviewed current bookings and utilisation of the room and reviewed other community meeting spaces available in the town."
“MCDC have been offered a license and members of MCDC will be able to utilise the remainder of the facility for their purposes and council is happy to continue to work with the group in this regard."
“The change of operating model for library services across Moyne has made this necessary and use of an existing council owned facility represents the best use of ratepayers resources.”