Council Continues to Provide Essential Services

Published on 05 May 2020

Snowy Valleys Council has welcomed the recent NSW Government announcement of $395 million in economic stimulus to safeguard council jobs, and local services.

The Government funding includes up to $112.5 million to support a Council Job Retention Allowance to limit Council job losses.

CEO Matthew Hyde said Council is currently well placed to continue to deliver essential services but that the funding assistance was key to managing the economic impacts of COVID-19 in the longer term.

“For now we have been able to maintain our full-time workforce with the majority of our outdoor staff continuing with their normal duties while many of our office based staff have transitioned to working from home allowing those left in the offices to work within social distancing requirements,” he said.

Council is also using the changing situation to progress with planning, strategy and governance work, particularly by teams whose more core functions are currently on-hold due to COVID-19.

“Last week a Policy and Strategy Ordinary Meeting of Council was held where Council endorsed a large number of new policies for public exhibition,” Mr Hyde said.

“The effort of harmonising policies and procedures for public comment is a large portfolio of work and it is fantastic to see so much movement in this space,” he went on to say.

“Our library staff are also looking at different ways for people to interact with their local Libraries and our child care and community services teams are continuing to provide important essential services while adhering to COVID-19 health guidelines.

“And with fewer people out and about it's a good time for us to be getting on with our capital works program including heavy patching, resealing and road rehabilitation works across the region”. 

While their counters remain closed Council also continues to deliver customer service to the community via phone, email and web.

“Our customer service team is still working behind the scenes and is keen to help with any Council queries or payments,” said Mr Hyde.

Council customers are encouraged to call the team on 1300 ASK SVC (1300 275 782) or email [email protected] during business hours.

-ENDS-

Notes:

The Government’s economic stimulus package also included $32.8 million to assist councils with the cost of the FY2020/21 increase in the Emergency Services Levy and a $250 million increase in low-cost loans to eligible councils through the state’s borrowing facility provided by TCorp to kick-start community infrastructure projects.

Photo credit: Council improvement works continue across the Snowy Valleys despite COVID-19 including recent road upgrades in Capper Street, Tumut.