Council Meeting wrap - October 2026

Council Meeting wrap - October 2026

The election of Cr Ross Stanton as Gannawarra Shire Council's Mayor for the next month was the highlight of Council's October 2026 meeting.

Held at The Glasshouse, Kerang on Wednesday, 21 October, proceedings began with the election of Council's Mayor, which was required after Cr Garner Smith stepped down from the role at the end of September following his nomination as a candidate for the Murray Plains electorate in November's State Election.

Mayor Stanton, who was Deputy Mayor for 2025/26, will hold the position until Council's annual Mayoral election, scheduled for Wednesday, 18 November 2026.

An election for Deputy Mayor was also required, with Cr Daniel Bolitho elected to the role for the same period.

The meeting also saw Council adopt its

GROW Gannawarra Children and Youth Strategy 2026-2030,

which provides a coordinated framework to improve outcomes for young people aged 0-24 years across the municipality.

The strategy features 23 actions across six focus areas that address themes relating to feeling valued, loved and safe; material basics; physical and mental health; learning; participation; and identity and culture, identified by Council's engagement with the municipality's children and young people, community stakeholders, service providers and partner organisations.

Other outcomes of the meeting included:

The receival of the

Gannawarra Shire Council Annual Report 2026,

noting that the Victorian Auditor General's Office certificates for the Financial Statement and Performance Statements be inserted once received

.

A copy of this annual report will be available on Council's website once these certificates are received.

The adoption of the revised

Complaint Handling

and

Healthy Food and Drink

policies.

The adoption of the

Revenue Collection and Financial Hardship

policy, and the rescinding of the

Rate Relief

policy.

The adoption of the Risk Appetite Statement, Risk Management Framework, and the revised

Risk Management

policy.

Receiving and noting the summary of the Audit and Risk Committee meeting held on 8 September 2026.

Approving a leave of absence for Cr Garner Smith from 1 November 2026 to 30 November 2026 inclusive.

Questions relating to the requirement that an Environmental Effects Statement be developed for RES's proposed Cannie Wind Farm project were also addressed.

For more information, including a link to the video from this meeting and minutes, please visit

www.gsc.vic.gov.au/meetings

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