Council provides local update to COVID-19 pandemic response activity

Published on 18 March 2020

Council will discuss the implementation of its Pandemic Plan operational guidelines to provide additional local measures for protecting community health and safety in response to the rapidly changing environment around the COVID-19 pandemic.

Council continues to take advice and guidance from the New South Wales Government (NSW Health) and the Federal Government (Department of Health) which are the lead agencies in this situation.

“The situation is continuously evolving. We are experiencing a rapidly changing environment and increasingly stringent advice being released in the interests of community safety to slow the spread of the virus.

“In accordance with the Prime Ministers advice issued earlier this week, we have responded by working with our events team and organisers in relation to the cessation of mass gatherings and events. We understand that this is very disappointing for the many people involved in these community events including our volunteers, but we’re confident that everyone understands that the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our community must take priority at this time.

“The important message remains around personal hygiene and the need to practise social distancing in public spaces and we’re considering what new measures we need to implement as an organisation in this regard,” said Snowy Valleys Council Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Hyde.

“The report and recommendations Council will consider tomorrow is looking to provide local advice around the operation of our public facilities and other smaller events.”

Recommendations include:

• Cancellation of all Council events which are programmed to occur until end May 2020, this includes Seniors Week, Youth Week and Library outreach activities such as story time and author talks. This is regardless of audience size.
• Recommending community groups that use Council owned/managed facilities cease operations within that facility until further notice. Advise that Council cannot guarantee the maintenance of facilities and may choose to close facilities where the prescribed standard of cleaning required to minimise transmission of infectious disease during a declared pandemic cannot be guaranteed.
• Reimburse any fees paid for the use of Council facilities and services where Council has determined the facilities and services would not be available due to COVID-19 closures.
• Encouraging all community groups to cease meetings, events and activities until May 2020.
• Cancellation of all committee and working group meetings where no urgent decisions are required, until the end of May 2020 and meetings where urgent business is required will be facilitated by video or phone links.
• Encouraging community to view Council meetings via webcast rather than attending in person.
• Extension of the timeline for grants where Council is the sole provider of the grants and support community groups requesting an extension of grants where the grants are outside the control of Council.

The Snowy Valleys Pandemic Plan outlines operational actions to reduce the risk to staff and continuation of services through the implementation of staged activity designed to respond to identified risk levels.

“In the spirit of social distancing, Council will have a reduced number of seating available in the Public Gallery at the Council Meeting tomorrow, and are asking community members to consider viewing the video of the meeting online that will be uploaded following the meeting and reviewing the Council reports,” said Mr Hyde.