Council Briefs

From the June 2026 meeting

Pricey memberships

Bass Coast Shire Council will spend $341,000 on subscriptions and memberships for the 2025-26 financial year.

According to Council CEO Greg Box this will increase to $351,000 for the 2026-27 financial year, or 3.2 per cent to accommodate licensing increases and professional standards memberships to support operational delivery.

The response came from a question posed by resident John Kuzma who asked why subscriptions and memberships were increasing.

San Remo parking

Resident Ernie Westergard at the June council meeting said he understood council officers had been speaking "to a small number of community members on the subject of removing carparking along the shopping strip in San Remo as part of the San Remo Streetscape beautification upgrade".

Ernie then asked for further details.

CEO Greg Box said officers were contacted by community members requesting pedestrian crossings in Marine Parade.

"The request is being investigated and at this stage there has been no consideration for the removal of car parks," Mr Box said.

Costly Wonthaggi

Residents asked for details on two major projects in Wonthaggi.

Bill Wilson said council had received a $632,000 grant from the Federal Government for the former Wonthaggi College site.

"Is the $632,000 to be expensed towards consultants' reports, design concepts and the removal of asbestos from the site," Bill asked.

Council CEO Greg Box replied the grant would fund: partnerships and land use frameworks; a site master plan; and community engagement and a business case.

"This work will allow council to become shovel ready for investment," Mr Box said.

Resident Bill Bunivious said council was "having ongoing difficulties with escalating costs towards the capping of the old Wonthaggi waste disposal site", asking for further details.

Mr Box said they had worked closely with the EPA in the landfill capping project, which was near completion and by EPA requirements.