Currently, Council’s workforce is split across 11 locations in four towns with 75 of the 79 office-based employees located in several buildings in Beechworth and Yackandandah. Council’s Chamber is located at the Chiltern Senior Citizens Centre and there are customer service centres in Chiltern and Rutherglen.

“The current situation with staff split across offices and towns is costly, inefficient and not viable into the future,” Indigo Shire Chief Executive Officer John Costello said. “There are many issues including the cost of staff travel between locations, information technology and office equipment duplication. There is also public confusion as to which office houses which services, barriers to communication between Council’s departments, inadequate public and meeting spaces and health and safety issues with the poor standard of some of the buildings.

“Indigo Shire Council recognises it is time to act and is looking for community input to help determine a long-term and cost-effective solution.”

Mr Costello said Council had been contemplating an appropriate location for its Chamber and adequate facilities for its municipal offices since amalgamation and the formation of Indigo Shire in 1994. As the Shire’s workforce grew and changed, many temporary and costly “stop gap” measures were taken including re-using and extending existing buildings, and purchasing additional space.

Earlier this year Indigo Shire Council engaged architects, No. 42 Architects, to undertake a feasibility study into the future of the Shire’s office accommodation. The study reviewed current office facilities, proposed solutions and detailed preferred options for the location of an Indigo Shire headquarters.

“The study confirmed the current office situation is costly, ineffectual and that Council’s fixed business costs will continue to increase into the future if no action is taken,” Mr Costello said. “The study recommended Council establish a single site for the Council Chamber and municipal offices, with Customer Service Centres in the other main towns.”  Whilst accepting this recommendation, Council wished to include redevelopment of the existing Beechworth and Yackandandah sites as a future split site option, recognising that this may still not deliver maximum possible savings.

The feasibility study identified eight possible sites for the future location of Indigo Shire’s headquarters.

“This shortlist of sites is not final,” Mr Costello said. “Council recognises there may be other sites, or other solutions, identified with community input. Similarly, the criteria to assess sites against are also up for discussion. We want to hear community opinion on how much importance each criteria should have on Council’s final decision and if there are any other factors Council should consider when assessing each site.”

The short listed sites identified in the feasibility study were:

• The former Beechworth Hospital site, with a combination of new buildings and redevelopment of existing buildings
• A new building on land adjacent to the Old Beechworth Gaol
• A new building on land next to the Hume Highway at Chiltern
• A new building on the site of the Beechworth Tennis Courts
• Construction of a new complex behind the former Beechworth Hospital façade
• Construction of a new building on the existing Yackandandah office site
• Redevelopment and extension of the existing Beechworth and Yackandandah buildings
• A new building on the Police Paddock site at Chiltern.

How to get involved?

Indigo Shire Council needs community input to determine the most cost-effective, efficient and accessible solution to Council’s office accommodation into the future.

There are many ways to get involved and have your say.

1. Fill out the survey posted to all ratepayers. This survey asks your opinion on the criteria Council should use to assess the suitability of potential office sites. This survey is also available from Council Service Centres and online at www.indigoshire.vic.gov.au.

2. At the end of the survey, register your interest in being part of a Community Reference Group. This group will consist of Council and community representatives from across the Shire. The group will be given copies of the feasibility study, tour all shortlisted sites, participate in an open discussion, and finally rate all sites against the finalised criteria. These ratings will be compiled to provide a preferred site(s) to Council.
   
3. Make a public submission’
   
4. Drop into any Indigo Shire Council service centre to view the feasibility study. If you wish to give feedback on the spot, fill out the public response form.
   
5. Approach your local Councillors.

Completed surveys must be received by Council by 5.00 pm Friday, 21 September 2007.  The Community Reference Group will meet throughout December, January and February with a final recommendation due to go before Council in March 2008.

Note:  The date for the return of completed surveys has been extended until 5.00 pm Friday 28 September 2007.

Please Note:  The date for return of completed surveys has passed and the link to the survey has been removed (Monday, 1 October 2007).