ARMIDALE Dumaresq Council is considering handing ownership of its State Emergency Service vehicles to the local unit, a plan which would save it about $30,000 a year.
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But most of the savings would still return to the SES as part of the Emergency Services Levy.
Councillors will discuss the plan at Monday’s council meeting, with the Armidale Dumaresq SES Unit hoping Council will gift the vehicles to the service.
“The burden will be taken off Council if they gift or donate the vehicles to the SES,” local controller for the SES Elaine Towner said. “The service would be very appreciative because it would allow continuity for the service to control all the vehicles for maintenance and help operations run more smoothly.”
Council director of public infrastructure David Stellar said because council was paying the 12 per cent levy, which he estimated would be about $30,000 the situation would largely remain the same. The only difference would be the SES would own its own vehicles.
“There may be a slight surplus on our side, but most of the $30,000 will go towards offsetting the levy,” Mr Stellar said.
In June, 2012 the state government provided $96 million to the NSW SES over five years as part of the strategic disaster readiness package.
The package also aimed to standardise the SES, handing control back to the service which is currently owned and managed by local councils.
It would mean the vehicles used by the individual units of the SES were consistent across the state.
Council currently owns four vehicles used by the Armidale Dumaresq SES Unit, including a canter truck, a four-wheel-drive troop carrier, dual cab ute and trailer.
These vehicles were originally purchased by Council through state government grants on behalf of the local SES unit.
