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Council Keeps Dialogue Open on Saleyard Access

Published on 08 November 2018

Council will continue to work with Tumut Saleyards committee on a sustainable solution to the current Saleyard’s access issues.

Council’s Director Assets and Infrastructure Matt Christensen said Council is committed to supporting the usage of the saleyards and the users.

“We acknowledge that the saleyards support major industry within the Snowy Valleys Council community but we need to ensure the yards are run in a sustainable way and at no extra cost to rate payers,” Mr Christensen said.

At their July ordinary meeting Council resolved to run a 12 month lock-up trial at the Tumut Saleyards to facilitate recording of usage and to ensure user pays.

The committee was not in favour of locking the saleyards and put forward a counter proposal to the September Council meeting. These recommendations were not accepted and Council resolved to continue with the one year lock-up trial.

“Other systems we suggested still relied on an element of honesty, of which the Saleyards Committee had advised not all users practice,” Mr Christensen explained.

The manual lock-up method requires opening the yards under a pre-arrangement process. The carrier contacts Council and advises a time that stock will be brought to the saleyards, and then Council arranges for the yards to be unlocked.

Mr Christensen said Council will continue to workshop more options with the saleyards committee to ensure that the Tumut Saleyards continues to run in a viable and sustainable manner.

“We know that carriers are less than happy with the lock-up result and we will continue to have discussions with the committee, exploring further alternative arrangements including the option to run the facility in a commercial capacity,” Mr Christensen said.

The next official meeting of the saleyards committee will be held in March 2019.

For further information on the Tumut Saleyards please contact Council’s Coordinator Utilities, Open Space & Facilities, Andrew Burke on 6941 2582 or [email protected]