Warrnambool council 'perplexed' by lack of applications for funding help

Cr Richard Ziegeler made the comment when the city council approved a move to direct $30,000 to Old Collegians Football Netball Club for a new spectator shelter at Davidson Oval.

Treasurer Tony White said the club was grateful for the funding allocation and the shed was much needed. "The shelters we've got now are not very effective," he said.

A portion of rate revenue is directed into the small infrastructure fund each year and there is currently $762,825 sitting there just waiting to be allocated.

"I'm a little bit perplexed as to why more groups in the community don't take advantage of this particularly advantageous infrastructure fund," Cr Ziegeler said.

"I think it's a terrific opportunity for a lot of groups in the community to take advantage of. It just puzzles me as to why there aren't more takers."

Cr Ziegeler said one per cent of rate revenue was put into the fund every year for community groups.

"There is a process community groups must follow and a definite protocol but it doesn't seem too onerous to me," Cr Ziegeler said.

"If this particular allocation of funds from rates was taken advantage of, many more people would see that their rates are going to worthwhile projects."

Cr Debbie Arnott said the fund was there specifically to help the community with their small infrastructure projects and was happy for it to go towards a netball spectator shelter.

"No doubt in the coming weeks with the shocking weather we're going to need those kind of shelters," she said,

"I do encourage other community groups around to really look into this fund to see how council might be able to assist them. It is there for the community to use."

Cr Ben Blain said it was a great project to support Old Collegians footy club.

"Big encouragement too for not just women but men in sport who want to be playing netball," he said.

"It's exciting too that the council is hopefully going to be putting seats in the new shelter as well. This should make a really big difference to the netball courts on the ground, especially in the cold winter months."

Cr Angie Paspaliaris said that the city's sporting clubs were tight-knit, and by the council funding infrastructure projects it had the added benefit of helping to increase their supporter base and morale.

Mayor Vicki Jellie said a lot of clubs had been affected by COVID-19 and weren't able to raise money themselves. "It's great the council has been able to help them with these smaller projects," she said.

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