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After the bushfires: how CVC will spend its grant money

Geoff Helisma|

Clarence Valley Council has resolved at its February 25 meeting to implement an expenditure plan for the $1,416,667 Australian Government allocation towards “recovery and resilience building activities”, following the recent bushfire disaster.

The council has allocated $300,000 towards making improvements to its community halls “in accordance with bushfire assessments”.

Proposed works “may include” sealing roofing, external facades and insulation; supplementing water tanks and supply/storz fitting connections; providing, leafless gutters, and metal fly screens/barriers; generator set connections’; amenities improvements and communications packages.

The council has allocated $300,000 towards improving the apron areas at the Grafton Regional Airport, “to build capacity for increased use by emergency-related aircraft”.

Clarence valley Council will spend $400,000 establishing a “disaster recovery team”, for a fixed duration of 18 months, comprised of a recovery officer and a support officer.

The council’s general manager, Ashley Lindsay, said the officers will “work with the community to help coordinate and plan the rebuilding effort”.

The remaining $416,667 will be used to implement the outcome of the recovery team’s investigations and actions.

At the February meeting, answering a question from Cr Deborah Novak, Mr Lindsay said: “As we determine the projects we will come back to council [for a decision].”

The recovery team’s key functions, as per the report to council, will include but are not limited to the following:

•             Issues management and triage function;

•             Government agency interface;

•             Investigating governance framework for community grants
applications and projects under Council auspice;

•             Grant writing;

•             Communications and coordination across Council and community
recovery;

•             Plan of action for next steps;

•             Community engagement and support;

•             Review of Council strategic plans;

•             Facilitated review of opportunities for diversification to regain
economic status in bushfire affected areas;

•             Undertake bio-diversity impact assessment and review existing
plans and strategies; and,

•             Review of emergency/ recovery management activities and plans,
with a view to recommending improvements to be undertaken
including activities like upgrading evacuation facilities.

Councillors were unanimous in their support of the officer’s recommendation and did not debate the matter.

Councils awarded a grant are required to develop a program of works within three months and report back to the Commonwealth in 12 months.