COVID restrictions - Local Government Guidance

Safely reopening Victoria

The coronavirus (COVID-19) roadmap for reopening provides steps on easing restrictions, dependent on how many active coronavirus (COVID-19) cases are in the community and public health advice.

From 11:59pm on Sunday, 6 December 2020 Victoria moves to COVIDSafe Summer restrictions. These restrictions are expected to be in place for summer. The restrictions will be reviewed regularly to ensure they reflect current public health advice. See the coronavirus website for more details.

Health information

Department of Health and Human Services coronavirus (COVID-19) information can be found on the DHHS website or by calling the dedicated coronavirus hotline on: 1800 675 398.

Council Services

Councils provide important services to their communities. Under current restrictions, some services can continue operating, while others must be modified or reduced.

Each council is responsible for making decisions about its services in accordance with the restrictions and directions published on the DHHS website.

Sector guidance is published on the coronavirus website.

Council services have been listed in the table below. Each entry includes an indicative list of service components to help councils interpret the roadmap. Information within this guide is sourced from the coronavirus website.

Links within the table will take you to the relevant page on the coronavirus website.

Staff safety

All staff not working from home must adhere to the current restrictions for hygiene, physical distancing and face coverings.

Information and resources to help councils and their employees stay physically and mentally well in the workplace during coronavirus (COVID‑19) is also available on the coronavirus website.

Council Service Guidance Link

AGED AND DISABILITY SERVICES

In-home domestic assistance including personal care (e.g. showering and dressing), cleaning, waste removal, assisted food and grocery shopping, assisted meal preparation or delivery (e.g. meals-on-wheels), home maintenance, respite care (e.g. assistance to carers), assisted financial management. Out-of-home domestic assistance including community transport (e.g. shopping and appointments) or planned activity groups.

  • Health care and social assistance sector guidance

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Animal pound/ shelter services, dangerous dog seizures, nuisance animal complaints, collection of stray companion animals, wandering stock investigation, animal business registration and pet registration and permits.

COMMUNITY INCLUSION AND DEVELOPMENT

Community and multicultural events, festivals, concerts.

COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Neighbourhood houses, art galleries, museums, senior citizens clubs, youth centres and community halls.
  • Community facilities and libraries IRL

CORPORATE SERVICES

Communications, finance, information technology, human resources and administrative functions for council services.

COUNCIL DEPOTS

Storage and maintenance of machinery and vehicles, equipment ordering and dispatch.

COUNCIL INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS

Capital works, emergency asset works and construction or maintenance (regular or emergency) of roads, footpaths, drainage and flood systems and signage.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Public communication interface including, physical customer services centres, call centre services, website services and email services.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

Local business support and development, tourism information centres, caravan parks, camping grounds.

  • Tourism and accommodation sector guidance

ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES

Registration, inspection and investigation of food businesses and farmers markets, health and beauty businesses, tobacco retailers, prescribed accommodation, nuisances, domestic wastewater, infectious diseases and notifiable diseases.

ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

Biodiversity, conservation and climate change programs, habitat retention, waterway health and public education programs

GALLERIES, MUSEUMS

IMMUNISATION SERVICES

Immunisations for infants and children, secondary school students and general public.

  • Health care and social assistance sector guidance

KINDERGARTEN AND EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES

Sessional Kindergarten, Long Day Care, Outside School Hours Care, Family Day Care and In-Home Care.

LIBRARY SERVICES

Book/ magazine/ DVD/ toy lending, community meeting spaces, computer and internet access and story time sessions.

  • Community facilities and libraries IRL

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES

Key age and stage consultations, home visits, centre appointments, group programs (e.g. parents’ group and breastfeeding classes), support groups (e.g. postnatal depression) and playgroups.

  • Health care and social assistance sector guidance

MAYOR AND COUNCILLOR BUSINESS

Council Meetings, Committees and Briefings, election campaigning.

MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND RELIEF SERVICES

Municipal and Regional Emergency Management Planning Committee meetings, emergency relief coordination, recovery centres, emergency relief centres, emergency risk assessments and fire prevention program.

  • Community services IRL

PARKING ENFORCEMENT AND ON-STREET COMPLIANCE

Enforcement of red, green and blue parking signs and on-street presence.

PUBLIC SPACES

Parks, gardens, dog parks, nature strips, roadsides, beaches, golf courses, ovals and walking tracks, skateparks, playgrounds, outdoor gym equipment, drinking fountains, public toilet, graffiti removal, dangerous tree removal.

  • Sport, exercise and physical recreation guidance

SPORT AND LEISURE FACILITIES

Sporting pavilions, gyms, stadiums, aquatic centres, fitness classes, personal training, change rooms.
  •  
  • Sport, exercise and physical recreation guidance

STATUTORY BUILDING SERVICES

Undertake responsibilities of the Municipal Building Surveyor (including enforcement of the Building Act and Regulations within the municipality and responding to emergencies and threats to safety and property), assessing and issuing building and asset protection permits, and assessing applications
for siting and design variations.

STATUTORY PLANNING SERVICES

Preparing and amending the Victoria Planning Provisions and planning schemes, assessing planning applications and granting permits under schemes, enforcing compliance with planning schemes and permits.

WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Collection of residential and business kerbside bins including landfill, recycling, food and garden organic waste, illegal dumping investigations and prosecutions, litter programs, hard rubbish/ garden waste collections and community education.

  • Electricity, gas, water and waste sector guidance

WASTE CENTRES

Transfer stations, landfills, tip shops, recycling centres, garden or food organic centres and disposal of e-waste, chemical and dangerous waste.

  • Electricity, gas, water and waste sector guidance

Local Government Victoria bulletins to councils

Please note that all references to the Local Government Bill 2019 now refer to the Local Government Act 2020 that received Royal Assent on 24 March 2020.

6 December - Bulletin 77/2020 Changes to Restrictions

21 November - Bulletin 75/2020 Changes to Restrictions – Local Government Information

8 November - Bulletin 74/2020 Changes to Restrictions

26 October - Bulletin 73/2020 Changes to Restrictions for Metropolitan Melbourne

25 October - Bulletin 72/2020 Changes to Restrictions for Regional Victoria

2 October - Bulletin 70/2020 Virtual Meetings Extension In Omnibus Bill Passes Parliament

20 October - Bulletin 69/2020 Supporting Residents Prepare Properties for the Summer Season

19 October - Bulletin 68/2020 Summary of Changes to Restrictions for Metropolitan Melbourne and Regional Victoria

13 October - Bulletin 67/2020 Transfer Stations and Landfill Levy Rate Changes - Further Deferral

2 October - Bulletin 65/2020 - Business Resilience Grants Open for Local Businesses

28 September - Bulletin 64/2020 - Reopening Roadmaps and Eased Restrictions

16 September - Bulletin 61/2020 - Regional Victoria to move to Third Step of the Roadmap for Reopening

6 September - Bulletin 58/2020 - Reopening Roadmaps Released

21 August - Bulletin 55/2020 - Stage 4 Restrictions - Council Business Guidance

31 July - Bulletin 52/2020 - Safe Campaigning Guidelines Published

22 July - Bulletin 51/2020 - State of Emergency Extended and Face Coverings Made Mandatory

9 July - Bulletin 48/2020 - Updated Directions for COVID-19 Restrictions from 8 July 2020

29 June - Bulletin 46/2020 - Helping Get Local Businesses Safely Back on Their Feet

23 June - Bulletin 45/2020 - Further Changes to Restrictions

4 June - Bulletin 41/2020 - Information from The Chief Health Officer for Local Governments

  • Attachment 1 (Coronavirus Disease COVID-19 CHO Letter to Local Government CEO 3 June 2020)

25 May - Bulletin 39/2020 - Further Easing of Restrictions

15 May - Bulletin 38/2020 - 2020 Local Government General Elections to Proceed as Planned

11 May - Bulletin 36/2020 - Coronavirus (COVID-19) Easing of Restrictions

4 May - Bulletin 35/2020 - Landfill Levy Rate Rises Deferred

29 Apr - Bulletin 34/2020 - Ministerial Good Practice Guideline MGPG-1: Virtual Meetings

27 Apr - Bulletin 33/2020 - Planning Matters and Conduct of Council Meetings

17 Apr - Bulletin 29/2020 - Coronavirus COVID-19 – Emergency Food Relief

16 Apr - Bulletin 27/2020 - Bill to Enable Virtual Council Meetings Introduced into Parliament Next Week

9 Apr - Bulletin 26/2020 - Extension for Adoption of Budgets, Strategic Resource Plans and Annual Reports

6 Apr - Bulletin 24/2020 - Fortnightly Meetings with Sector Representatives

1 Apr - Bulletin 23/2020 - COVID-19 Directions and Workplaces

  • Attachment 1 (Letter to Local Government Chief Executive - COVID-19 Update)

30 Mar - Bulletin 22/2020 - Economic Survival Package to Support Businesses and Jobs

30 Mar - Bulletin 21/2020 - Stage 3 Restrictions

27 Mar - Bulletin 18/2020 - Assisting Healthcare Workers and Patients to Travel

27 Mar - Bulletin 17/2020 - Appropriate Use of PPE for Non-Health Services

  • Attachment 1 (Guidance on The Rational Use of PPE for COVID-19 For Non-Health Services)

27 Mar - Bulletin 16/2020 - Support of Vulnerable People in Emergencies

26 Mar - Bulletin 15/2020 - Mass Gathering Direction 3 and Non-Essential Business Closure 2 from the Deputy Chief Health Officer

23 Mar - Bulletin 12/2020 - Mass Gathering Direction 2 and Non-Essential Business Closure from the Deputy Chief Health Officer

18 Mar - Bulletin 11/2020 - Mass Gathering Directions from the Deputy Chief Health Officer

  • Attachment 1 (Chief Health Officer Direction)

18 Mar - Bulletin 10/2020 - Coronavirus (COVID-19) Transmission Reduction Measures

17 Mar - Bulletin 8/2020 - Direction from the Chief Health Officer

12 Mar - Bulletin 6/2020 - COVID-19

Page last updated: 04/01/21