Council’s COVID support succeeds

THE SUCCESS of South Gippsland Shire Council’s COVID-19 Support Package (CSP) has been evaluated and detailed in a new report, its findings largely positive, and recommendations offered for improvements in dealing with future major upheavals.

While administrators were in charge of South Gippsland Shire after the 2019 dismissal of the local council, current council CEO Kerryn Ellis stepped into the role in March 2020 just prior to the initial introduction of pandemic restrictions.

South Gippsland Shire Council’s $2 million COVID Support Package was designed to use a three-phase approach and to sit alongside other support being provided by higher levels of government.

Phase 1 focused on targeted support in the form of financial relief to businesses and householders, and support to vulnerable and isolated community members during the initial stages of COVID restrictions.

Phase 2 centred on building resilience by supporting key industries such as tourism, small business and the arts and creative sector.

Recovery and Reconnection were in the spotlight in Phase 3, with the aims being to rebuild social connection and support economic development, tourism, sport and community wellbeing.

Through the CSP, grant assistance was provided to 83 community organisations, with 846 local businesses benefiting from the establishment of a Business Support Grants Program.

Other CSP measures included reducing or waiving business registration fees and permits.

With maintenance still required at recreation reserves and COVID restrictions resulting in lack of income, council stepped in to provide a total of $126,000 of support.

Shopping locally was promoted by council.

Other measures were taken to help South Gippsland Shire community members negotiate the pandemic period.

While the Community Support Package Evaluation Report says objectives of the CSP were largely met, feedback suggested that the initiative would have benefited from a more centralised coordination model.

That was considered to be particularly early in the pandemic, with a Project Manager likely to be of value should a comparable program be 
required in future.

The report into the CSP recommends such a centralised approach for dealing with future significant events or emergencies but also notes the importance of allowing for flexibility in times of uncertainty.

While the CSP had to be organised rapidly, the report on its implementation noted it drew on work council had previously undertaken.

It was found there was little duplication of funding, with the CSP filling gaps in funding from higher levels of government.

However, the report acknowledged it was difficult to keep track of the many available types of support.

Spending of grants locally and improved relationships between council and community groups and businesses are a couple of positives considered to have flowed from the CSP assistance provided.

With the benefit of hindsight, the Community Support Package Evaluation Report suggests that council could have placed more emphasis on recovery, given the long-running nature of the pandemic and its ongoing ramifications.

However, at Wednesday’s November council meeting, Cr Sarah Gilligan spoke of ongoing benefits flowing from CSP initiatives.

“I can see a lot of things that are still going; the shop local program has been successful and will have benefits for years to come,” she said.