Fresh from the district council

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - The Garden Route District Council was informed of several ongoing projects and initiatives during its most recent meeting on Thursday, 27 June.

The following information was shared and the resolutions were adopted by council:

Fire services
Council took note of the progress made in terms of the restructuring of firefighting services in the district. The fire services task team will continue negotiations with the managers responsible for oversight over fire services at each local municipality to formulate a district service delivery and funding model.

The Western Cape Department of Local Government, responsible for fire services, informed local municipalities of its intention to restructure fire services to simplify and centralise fire services. The district council resolved during a meeting in March that the total fire service function must reside at district level and that a proper consultation with the B-municipalities and other affected parties must be undertaken. Mayor Memory Booysen expressed his disappointment over the slow progress, seemingly due to the consultation process with the B-municipalities. Read more on page 10.

Regional waste facility
A progress report on the regional waste management facility revealed that it is possible that the Public Private Partnership will not be finalised before 30 September and that the existing contract with iX Engineers will have to be extended, with additional cost to council.

There are delays in the finalisation of certain processes at the Development Bank of Southern Africa, and the request for national and provincial Treasury views and recommen-dations still need to be finalised.

The declaration of a formal intergovern-mental dispute in terms of the the Garden Route Waste Management by-law by the Mossel Bay and George munici-palities with the MEC of Local Government is another cause of the delay.

The district municipality has requested the extension of the licence for the waste facility that will lapse on 18 July and was granted an additional two years by the Department of Environmental Affairs. The municipal disposal contract with PetroSA will expire on 30 July. A meeting will be held with PetroSA management to discuss a request for an extension of the contract.

Municipal manager responds
Mossel Bay municipal manager Adv Thys Giliomee confirmed to the Mossel Bay Advertiser that a meeting regarding the regional waste facility has since taken place in Cape Town between the MEC of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Minister Anton Bredell, and the mayors and municipal managers of Mossel Bay, George and the GRDM.

"The dispute and a way forward was discussed amicably, however, the parties still have to agree on a formal cooperation agreement before the dispute can be resolved."

Advocate Giliomee stressed that in no way could the intergovernmental dispute be seen as a cause for a delay.

"Mossel Bay Municipality has consistently supported the establishment of the regional landfill site. The dispute concerns a lack of provisions firstly on the standard of service delivery and furthermore on the determination of fees. The Mossel Bay Municipality's argument is that Mossel Bay's taxpayers (not GRDM) have to bear the costs. Mossel Bay Municipality should therefore have an insight into the standard of service and the tariffs. These are operational issues that cannot be seen as a reason for any delays.

"Much progress has been made and I am confident that the parties will work together in good faith," Adv Giliomee said.

Geelhoutboom

• All objections have been received regarding the proposed closure of Minor Road 6866 and a portion of Minor Road 6864 in Geelhoutboom.

According to Speaker Barnie Groenewald, the next step is to conduct thorough consultation processes with all the concerned parties. Dates for these discussion sessions have not yet been confirmed.

Acting Municipal Manager, Lusanda Menze