At its latest meeting, Hepburn Shire Council resolved to adopt a notice of motion deferred from the previous month. 

The motion was re-submitted at the April 17 meeting by councillor Kate Redwood in an amended form.

The amended form states council, at completion of the first hold point in the contract design for 14A Victoria Street, Trentham by Antarctica Architects, will undertake no further planning or construction work on any site until the community decides a preference.

Initially with four options for voters to choose from, the amended form of the survey is simplified down to two options. 

The first option is the Mechanics Institute Hall in High Street, Trentham, where the main hall would be retained and renovated, with a new extension built on to the site. 

The second option is to proceed with the previously nominated site at 14A Victoria Street, Trentham. 

The results of the survey will be finalised by July 30, with the outcome being 50 per cent plus one of returned votes. 

Thereafter, council can proceed with its plans for the hub in line with the opinion voiced in the postal survey, given that it receives sufficient external funding. 

Cr Redwood said the vote was needed as the community “must find a circuit breaker in order to obtain state government funding for the project”. 

Cr Greg May reiterated these sentiments by saying he was for the motion, but was not happy about being dictated to by the community and backtracking on the project. 

“We won’t arrive at a consensus if we don’t listen to and consult the community. This should have been done in the beginning. The community must now work together to resolve the conflict,” he said.

The motion passed, however, both councillors Neil Newitt and Don Henderson opposed it. 

“We cannot run the council by referendum,” Cr Henderson said.