The future of Jaycee Park was brought back to the council chambers following significant backlash from community members over the past week.

On Tuesday, August 4, Campaspe Shire Council convened for an unscheduled meeting to consider a motion of rescission about Jaycee Park.

It followed 36 emails from families and 34 letters of opposition from local children in opposition to the decision made at the July council meeting linking the Jaycee Park masterplan to an undeveloped strategic plan.

The decision came after council rejected an amended motion by Cr John Zobec that sought clearer timelines, prioritised the park's renewal in the 2026-27 financial year, and called for the Regional Parks masterplan to be developed separately without affecting the Jaycee Park masterplan.

Put forward by Cr Jessica Mitchell, the proposed motion of rescission regarded the resolution carried at the July meeting, reasoning that council failed to deliberate on a valid motion that addressed community needs and timelines while still aligning with long-term planning.

Kyabram Development Committee secretary Renee Pichler spoke in support of the rescission, raising concerns that the reasoning behind recent council decision did not align with proper governance rules.

“Governance rules state decisions need to be free from favouritism, and yet there appears to be inconsistencies in the rationale of decisions,” she said.

Ms Pichler also argued a “no surprises” policy referenced by Cr Rob Amos during debate at the July meeting as reasoning was invalid, as it breached council standards for balanced, ethical and impartial decision-making.

“Given the high level of public scrutiny surrounding decisions about Jaycee Park, strict adherence to governance rules when making decisions is not optional: it is essential,” she said.

The discussion then turned to the councillors, with the motion moved by Cr Mitchell and seconded by Cr Zobec.

Speaking for the motion, Cr Mitchell said council had a duty to be consistent, transparent and true to its own resolutions, with the notice of rescission allowing an opportunity to correct it.

“Instead of milestones for a playground, we endorsed tendering Jaycee Park to a Kyabram Structure Plan, a process that hasn’t even started and may not for another 12 months,” she said.

“That isn’t a timeline. That’s a strategic delay.

“(The community) want the structure plan and the playground, not one at the expense of the other.”

Cr Mitchell said rescinding the motion would be “finishing the work” started in March, when council resolved to put the Jaycee Park masterplan up for public comment.

“It allows us to bring back a report that provides the milestones, the staging and the budget confirmation that Kyabram has earned through 10 years of patience,” she said.

When debate opened up, Cr Amos apologised for a poor choice of wording about his debate rationale of a “no surprises” policy, but reasoned it was a “value” councillors agreed on at the start of the term.

He also said a project of this scale needed to have extra framework to guide its process, with the originally passed motion allowing for that.

“It will be for the benefit of the municipality, including the Kyabram community, that there will be a better outcome for that community,” he said.

“Yes, it will take a little bit longer, and I fully agree that is frustrating, but I do believe that is the best outcome for our municipality.”

Speaking against the motion, Cr Paul Jarman noted that the procedural rule providing for the adjournment of a meeting to allow additional information to be presented — which any councillor has the right to exercise — was not requested at the time, and therefore not acted upon.

Cr Jarman said the original motion was about ensuring Jaycee Park was done right.

“Right project, right location, right target, right time model, to make sure that we get it right for Kyabram’s long-term future,” Cr Jarman said.

Cr Zoe Cook, speaking supporting the motion of rescission, said she believed the council could provide a better motion going forward.

When put to the vote, the motion failed after a 4-4 tie, with Crs Mitchell, Zobec, Cook and Luke Sharrock in support, while Crs Amos, Jarman, Daniel Mackrell and Tony Marwood voted against, with Cr Adrian Weston absent. Therefore, the tie required a casting vote from the mayor, Cr Mackrell, who voted against the motion.

With the rescission defeated, the July 21 decision stands, leaving the Jaycee Park masterplan tied to a strategic plan that is yet to be developed, and the Kyabram community's decade-long wait continuing.

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Friday, 19th August 2033

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