Dubbo Regional Council is looking at spending close to $100,000 to move the existing council chamber to the ground floor conference rooms.
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If the motion passes at the ordinary meeting of council on March 23, the council will spend between $70,000 and $80,000 on a new audio system.
With monthly complaints from residents about not being able to hear the council live stream, council had thought ahead and budgeted the money.
The council admits their current audio and audio visual technology has "failed" on occasion and workarounds with modern technology "can only do so much".
The other $24,000, which is to be taken from the restricted assets fund, will be spent on new furniture.
Restricted assets are funds that can not be used for general purpose as they are either subject to some form of external legislative or contractual obligation, or are kept for the purpose of covering council commitments that are expected to arise in the future.
The change of location will fill the current location's lack of out of hours disabled access and toilet facilities, allowing more people to attend the monthly meetings.
"By moving the chamber to the ground floor location, it will provide compliant disabled access and members of the public will not need to use the stairway entrance," a report by Director Organisational Performance, Dean Frost said.
Councillor Pam Wells said it was "really efficient thinking around changing the way council will meet" and she supported the idea.
The current chamber is only in use for an average of six hours per month, and the council hopes by moving the meetings to a multi-functioning meeting room they will be able to offer additional office space for staff who currently work at an external site.
The council would also be looking at creating extra income if they are able to free up space at the external site by leasing or selling the building.
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Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson said if the motion goes through in two weeks time, it would give council staff the direction to start making the change to move the council chambers downstairs.
"Depending on how staff are moved around from 69 Church Street into this building, then that could free up some space over there," he said.
Proposed Audio Plan:
- Install new 85" TV on southern wall of ground floor central for councillors
- Install new 55" TV on a swivel mount on northern wall of ground floor central for the public gallery
- 22 desk mics as outlined in the plan, an additional 2-4 handheld mics for various needs
- One hearing loop across all three rooms
- Streaming and audio gear to be centralised in a full-height communications rack in ground floor east cupboard
- New ceiling speakers and amplifiers in all three rooms
- Relocate cameras from existing chamber
- Capability to control each room's technical setup from a control panel (e.g. council meeting, teams/standard meeting in 1/2/3 rooms)
Pending the delivery of furniture, the council would move into the new location in the next three months.
Ciara Bastow
Hi! I'm Ciara and I've been working as a journalist for a number of years now, covering everything ranging from council, human interest stories, community news and sport. Got a story? Email me at ciara.bastow@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Hi! I'm Ciara and I've been working as a journalist for a number of years now, covering everything ranging from council, human interest stories, community news and sport. Got a story? Email me at ciara.bastow@austcommunitymedia.com.au
