TRAFALGAR will lose its council customer service centre after councillors voted in favour of closing it at their public meeting on Wednesday.
First published in the 15 May 2015 edition of the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen. For more local news and features, pick up your copy for free from retailers across Baw Baw.
ADVERTISEMENT
Seven councillors voted in favour of the officers’ recommendation that the centre be closed, with Mount Worth ward councillor Peter Kostos and North ward councillor David Balfour the only two to vote against.
The move means the centre, based in the Trafalgar Technology Centre will be closed from 1 July, just six weeks away.
Operation times of the service centre will be reduced to eight hours per week until then.
All residents will receive a letter detailing the change.
ADVERTISEMENT
The customer service centre has been a point of contact for council services including animal registration, health registration and renewals, rates payments and debtor payments.
The centre has had an average of 10.8 transactions per day over the past six months, a total of 9.95 per cent of Baw Baw transactions.
The service centre costs $346.80 per active day to operate, with the average cost per transaction coming in at $32.11.
Councillors who supported the motion said residents could use other methods of paying bills with the same results.
“The cost per transaction for the council as per the best value report 2013 for the whole of the shire was $4.38, and at Traflagar it’s $32.11,” Mount Worth ward councillor Murray Cook said on moving the motion.
“Because the services provided at the centre can be provided in other ways it makes sense for us to rationalise the situation.
“I recommend this particular move. The main thing of course is the transition period. There may be people who find it more difficult than others.
“It is important for us to note that that transition period is traversed carefully.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Drouin ward councillor Terry Williamson said: “it’s just a reflection of the changing times – you can pay rates with BPay now.”
Cr Kostos said the move would be a loss for Trafalgar.
“Baw Baw Shire is a large shire, it’s also a very long shire,” he said.
“Trafalgar happens to be quite a large and significant town on our eastern boundary. I do agree that the cost is high.
“I still think we need to have some kind of representation in Trafalgar.
“I think the people of Trafalgar deserve to have some kind of representation.”
Cr Balfour said nearby small towns would also be disadvantaged.
Terry get your facts right and do some more research ..You CANNOT pay Home Services or fines using B Pay. Rates yes. As I have always said “if WE don’t live in Warragul or Drouin …WE DON’T EXIST”
Glenn I belive the media are quoting our ward Cr Cook, A great leader for this community – that is- if you want to be a community with nothing- closed the public toilets at the station last year, closed the community service centre this year. What will Cr Cook take from Trafalgar next? I hope not our pool!
Very disappointed at this decision. Many people in Trafalgar simply do not have access to internet and we have no library here so that we can access the internet. A bus 1 1/2 days is not a replacement for a customer service centre. Kylie did a lot more than the nominated number of transactions- she referred people, gave advice, gave advice and booked the Trafalgar facilities and handed out the keys. There are better ways to save money.
This will be a disadvantage not only to trafalgar but also residents of willow grove, an other surrounding communities. What about the elderly who may not have internet, who r only use to going in to pay their bills and who may not drive to be able to drive to warragul shame on you baw baw shire
Disgusting that council hss to cut the hub of trafalgar from its budget… obviously trafalgar doesnt earn enough money for baw baw shire as warragul does. But then if you look around warragul at the moment paying excessive urban rates for a rural town is it any wonder that people are desserting warragul In droves? Shame baw baw shame perhaps if you had fewer people in your offices in warragul there would be more funds to share around and improve infrastructure.