Coronavirus COVID-19

 Services and facilities now open:

• Playgrounds and play equipment
• Outdoor fitness equipment
• Skate parks
• Darebin Resource Recovery Centre
• Darebin Outlook Second Hand Shop 
• Community sport — contact your local club for details
• Bundoora Homestead Art Centre
• Bundoora Park Farm and Cafe

Operating as usual:

• Customer Service
  • Preston open Monday - Friday
  • Reservoir Community and Learning Centre open Monday - Friday
  • Northcote Tuesday - Thursday (effective 2/3/2021)
• Waste collection: Bins will be collected as normal.
• Hard waste collection: See the Hard Waste page for more information.
• Immunisation sessions will continue as normal at Preston City Hall.
• Rewilding projects
• Graffiti removal
• Home support services for older adults are being facilitated in line with COVID safe practices. Our community support workers are equipped with PPE and practice social distancing. If you or someone you know requires assistance with shopping please contact us for information on available support.

• Maternal and Child Health Services:

• All newborns and babies up to the age of eight weeks will be provided with a centre visit for the initial health assessment, including weighing
• All families assessed as vulnerable will be provided with centre visit for a health assessment and weighing
• Centre visits will be limited to 15 minutes with a comprehensive consultation to follow over the phone
• Home visits will not occur
• KAS appointments to babies over 8 weeks will be conducted via telehealth and phone, unless assessed as vulnerable and in this case an office appointment will be provided
• New parent groups will be conducted via telehealth. If you have questions, please email mchappointments@darebin.vic.gov.au

• Darebin Libraries:
  All of our library locations are now open
  • You can now visit and stay for longer periods of time.
  • Many more people can visit each branch at once
  • Extended opening hours at Northcote and Preston
  • For full details please visit the Darebin Libraries website
  • Return chutes open all hours across library locations
  • Home delivery service
  • Now offering a mix of online and in-person events 

• Reservoir Leisure Centre:
  Please make a booking before attending the facility. Bookings are essential for Group Fitness and Rezza Restart sessions. The following services are now available: 
  
  • Indoor gym, group fitness studio and cycle studio 
  • Personal training
  • Online classes
  • Aquatic spaces now open (*outdoor pools open if weather above 25 degrees)

• Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre
  The following services are now available:
  
  • Gym and group fitness sessions 
  • Personal training
  • Outdoor lap swimming
  • Indoor pool and swimming lessons

• Youth Services
  The Hub and Decibels Youth Music Centre will reopen and Access Program and Youth Outreach will resume.

• Golf courses: 
  Golf courses have opened with some changes to be COVID-safe. Please see details on the clubs’ websites.
  • Bundoora Golf Course
  • Northcote Golf Course  — please note NGC is no longer open to the public not playing golf.

• Tennis courts:
  Contact your local club for details.

Services and facilities currently closed:

• Northcote Council Customer Service Centre counters are closed; however the call centre remains open from 8.30am - 5pm each day, and you can contact us on 8470 8888 or send us a message via our contact form.
• Arts centres, including Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre (with events from February 2021) and Darebin Arts Centre
• Toy libraries
• Community Halls: Including Ruthven Pavilion, Clyde Street, Fairfield and Donald Street Community Halls
• Darebin Intercultural Centre
• Darebin North East Community Hub
• East Preston Community Centre
• Keon Park Children’s Hub
• Preston Shire Hall
• Preston City Hall
• Community rooms
• Senior Citizens Centres
• Social Support Groups
• Proof of life for overseas pensions. Please contact one of these pharmacies during the week, between 4-6pm:
  • High Street Preston Pharmacy, 1/530-538 High St, Preston VIC 3072, Phone 9470 1325
  • Chemist Warehouse Preston, 475 High St, Preston VIC 3072, Phone 9470 6626; or
  • Preston Police Station, corner of Kelvin Grove and Roseberry Avenue, Preston, Phone 9479 6111

Other sporting venues:
The following venues are not managed by Council. More information on how they are managing opening hours and physical distancing can be found on their websites:

• Darebin Community Sports Stadium
• Darebin International Sports Centre Velodrome 
  
• IceHQ Reservoir 
  
• Darebin Community Bowls Club 
  
• Kingsbury Bowls Club 
• Preston Reservoir Bowls Club

Council Meetings and Planning Committee Meetings
Council Meetings and Planning Committee Meetings are continuing to be held. These meetings must be open to the public and the following arrangements have been put in place to support the open and transparent decision-making:

• Residents and interested parties are strongly encouraged to view these meetings ‘live’ online.
• If a person wishes to attend a meeting, we will provide an adjacent room to the Council Chamber with access to the ‘live stream’ to meet social distancing requirements. 
• If you wish to address either a Council or Planning Committee Meeting, in accordance with the normal practices, you will be escorted into the meeting for you to do so.
• Any enquiries regarding these arrangements should be directed to Stephen Mahon, Coordinator Governance, Council Business and Civic Services on 8470 8582 or via email Stephen.Mahon@darebin.vic.gov.au 

Events currently cancelled
All upcoming public events have been cancelled or postponed until further notice. Some events have been moved online.

Food vouchers, meals and food parcels
If you need assistance to access food relief and essential items, we have put together an Emergency Food Relief  & Support Services During COVID-19 guide to help you find a local service that can assist you to access grocery vouchers, food parcels and pre-made meals. You can also call us on 8470 8888 and ask for the Community Navigation Service. 

Council is working with local services to increase access of food relief to households. We are currently providing about 400 households with weekly food relief through our partnership with local agencies. Additionally, we have deployed 4 staff across the emergency relief network to provide additional assistance through logistics and delivery.

Darebin's Emergency Relief Agencies:
To request emergency relief assistance, call Darebin Information Volunteer Resource Service (DIVRS) phone service on 9480 8200, Monday – Thursday between 9.30am - 2.30pm. You may need to leave a message with your name and contact details and you will receive a call back.

Otherwise, contact the following local agencies: 
- Encompass Care, Bundoora: 0422 461 847
- Northern Community CareWorks, Preston: 9484 4788
- Reservoir Neighbourhood House (East Reservoir residents): 9462 4611
- Salvation Army – Emergency Relief, Preston: 9471 9111
- St Vincent de Paul - Call Centre: 1800 305 330
- Haven Home Safe - crisis line: 1300 428 364 (or 1800 825 955 after hours)

Right now is a difficult time for many in our community who are facing hardship as a result of COVID-19. Council is continuing to support community and businesses in Darebin with relief and support programs.

The Recovery Grants are part of Council’s $11.8 million Community and Business Resilience and Recovery Package.

The Recovery Grants are a competitive process and are open to businesses, sporting clubs, creative and cultural organisations. Funding of more than $1 million will be available through this round of grants with a focus on supporting those in the community who are the most vulnerable and hardest hit by the impacts of COVID-19.

Arts Recovery Partnership Grants

Applications open 28 January 2021.

Applications close 4 March 2021.

Funding of up to $25,000 is available per application.

The Arts Recovery Partnership Grant is intended to help creative businesses, arts organisations and companies, and live music venues, test and explore ideas for the future and adapt their operations in a COVID-safe way, whilst supporting artists as they return to practice.

Arts Partners will share what they are experiencing and learning with each other and Council at a series of meetings during 2021.

Please read the Arts Recovery Partnership Grants guidelines before applying. 

Application forms for the Recovery Grants can be accessed via https://darebin.smartygrants.com.au/artsrecovery

For further information or enquiries in relation to the Recovery Grants call the Recovery Grants Hotline on 8470 8888. Interpreters are available.

Recovery Grants streams that have closed include:

• Community Recovery Grants 
• Business Recovery Grants
• Cultural Infrastructure Grants
• Sport Recovery Grant
• Social Enterprise Grants
• Creative Collaboration in Isolation

The Community Navigation Service
Call 8470 8888 and select the option for the Community Navigation Service to be connected with the right support for you. This service quickly refers and links members of the community to the appropriate services, support and information. 

Financial Hardship Policy
For property owners facing difficulties, we've created a Financial Hardship Policy to provide relief. You can either:
- Set up a payment plan to help manage the payments
- Defer your rate payments with 0% interest

Please contact our Revenue team by emailing mypaymentplan@darebin.vic.gov.au or call 8470 8880 (9am-5pm Mon-Fri). Read more about paying your rates and our COVID-19 Financial Hardship Policy here.

Waived and frozen fees
- Community hubs license fees frozen.
- Overdue library book/item fees suspended until the libraries reopen.
- Leadership of a network of partners to offer help – including the Inner North Community Fund and the Darebin Information, Volunteer and Referral Service (DIVRS) to help others in the local area who have been impacted.

Support for international students
International students are eligible to access food and basic items.

Study Melbourne has created a dedicated information resource featuring advice and various supports for international students during this time, for more information please visit COVID-19 support for international students.

Information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
- Read our Information sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Watch a video with elders and young people sharing advice about COVID-19, from Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency - VACCA 

Business support line
Call 8470 8888 and select the option for the business support line service open 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri (except public holidays). Through this service, we will provide advice and support for your business. As most of our team are working remotely, please leave your details with customer service operators and an Economic Development officer will contact you directly. Our team will use information from the established a Business Support Line to define and develop a range of activities to provide support to businesses throughout the coming weeks or months of uncertainty, with dedicated support and resources from Council.

Refunded fees
Council resolved to waive Footpath Trading Permit fees for traders between the 1st March 2020 and 30th June 2021. A four-month refund has been processed and will be provided to all current permit holders in early May, with the renewal of 2020-21 permits to be sent in early July free of charge.

Suspended fees
Businesses who have paid their 2020 Food Act or Public Health & Wellbeing Act Registrations will be credited a free registration 16-month registration, until April 2022. You will still need to apply to renew your registration via a new online portal, however there will be no fees. Please ensure you have provided your email address to Council’s Health Protection Unit so we can activate your portal access later in 2020. For businesses requiring urgent financial assistance who wish to register their interest in a pro rata refund of their current 2020 Food Act, or Public Health and Wellbeing Act registrations, please contact health@darebin.vic.gov.au. We will then be in touch with more information on this process. Businesses that receive a refund will retain their registration until 30 June 2021.

Counselling
We’ve opened our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to you and your employees all businesses in Darebin – so you can reach out for information and counselling in this difficult time.

Online counselling resources
You can now log in for free to our EAP supplier, Converge International, and view a range of helpful resources.  Visit their website and on the ‘Portal Login’ link (in top right corner). Use the below information to gain access.

Username: darebinbusiness
Password: converge

Arranging a free and confidential counselling session
To book a counselling session, please call Converge International on 1300 687 327. This service is completely confidential and is available free of charge to you.

Parking
We are looking at ways to change our local laws to allow easy food pick-up and delivery – especially to help reach vulnerable members of the community for food delivery.

Light$mart
All Businesses based in Darebin are now able to apply for our Light$mart program, which offers a free or subsidised LED lighting upgrade to businesses (conditions apply). So far over 250 Darebin businesses have been upgraded through this program, saving an average of $420 a year on their electricity bills. To find out more and register your interest please email business@darebin.vic.gov.au.

Other sources of support

Victorian Small Business Commission
Contact to access support for small business including mental health plans, advocacy and negotiating rent support. Mediation on rent is now being offered free to those who are part of the Jobkeeper program and on a case-by-case basis. Council are supporting businesses in Darebin who don’t fall in these categories to access these mediation services for free.

Business Victoria
For the latest information on restrictions and support from the state government.

Worksafe Victoria
For information on how regulations affect your rights and responsibilities as an employer or employee.

Victorian Chamber of Commerce
You can now access membership of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce for free and they will be providing help and advice to businesses.

Waived and frozen fees
Arts and culture play an integral role in community wellbeing, and Darebin is proud to be home to many arts venues and community hubs. To support creative and cultural organisations as a result of COVID-19, Council will be waiving license fees for arts venues and community hubs. For more information contact Council on 8470 8888.

Honouring payments and ticket refunds 
To ensure the creative community in Darebin continues to feel supported and valued, we have honoured payments to artists and creative practitioners to the total value of more than $200,000. These honoured payments include:
• 100% of our commitments to artists and contractors engaged for the FUSE festival, to a total value of $42,000.
• All payments to artists for cancelled performances at our arts venues, while also refunding customers 100% of ticket sales for shows that did not proceed as a result of COVID-19 public gathering cancellations. 

Business support grants in response to COVID-19
Stage one of Business support grants was rolled out by the 30 June 2020 with $127,000 worth of grants awarded to the creative and cultural sector in Darebin.
Stage two of the Business Recovery Grants program along with a Cultural Infrastructure Grant Program will be released in the coming months. Arts organisations and creative industries are encouraged to apply for these grants, designed to assist businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Continuing support for arts and culture in Darebin
To keep up to date with information about events, programs and support for artists and the creative sector in Darebin, subscribe to Council’s regular What’s On Arts and Culture newsletter.

Other external sources of support currently available to the creative sector
Creative Victoria
Australia Council for the Arts

Darebin City Council is committed to supporting community and business in response to coronavirus (COVID-19). Information about what Council is doing is available in 12 languages below. If you wish to speak with Darebin Council in your language, call 8470 8470.