COVID-19 VIC: Councils – Local Councils Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Package

This program aims to support local councils to expand outdoor dining as part of the roadmap to COVID normal reopening. It forms part of the Victorian Government's $87.5 million Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Package which seeks to support hospitality businesses prepare for COVID normal reopening across Victoria.

This funding will assist Victorian Councils to implement swift and streamlined permit, enforcement and monitoring processes to support expanded outdoor dining in the Third Step of Victoria’s roadmap to reopening. It will also assist Councils establish infrastructure to support outdoor dining.

Grants of up to $500,000 are available.

A total funding pool of $29.5 million is made available in September 2020. In January 2021, the Victorian Government committed an additional $5 million to a second, competitive program round to enable eligible local councils facing significant and unique challenges to access additional financial support.

Eligible councils under Round 2 are:
- Metropolitan councils (excluding City of Melbourne)
- Regional cities (Ballarat City Council, Greater Bendigo City Council, Greater Geelong City Council, Greater Shepparton City Council, Horsham Rural City Council, Latrobe City Council, Mildura Rural City Council, Wangaratta Rural City Council, Warrnambool City Council, Wodonga City Council)
- Peri-urban councils (Bass Coast Shire Council, Baw Baw Shire Council, Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Moorabool Shire Council, Golden Plains Council and Surf Coast Shire Council)

Eligible activities include those directly associated with the activation of outdoor dining and entertainment:
- Administering permit regulation and approvals processes - including but not limited to fast-tracking the application and approval process for permits associated with the activation of outdoor dining and entertainment activities as well as waiving applicable fees and charges associated with permit applications.
- Traffic management – such as costs associated with road closures, the preparation of traffic management plans and compliance with requisite rules and regulations.
- Provision (including hire) and management of place-based infrastructure and shared public entertainment requirements – such as bollards, planter boxes, signage, parklet enclosures, seating bubbles, temporary street furniture, marquees and other structures and engagement of expertise or resources to manage and coordinate place-based/precinct activation initiatives.
- Minor civil works – such as works that ensure requisite accessibility and public safety requirements are met.
- Additional waste management and sanitation in public areas including services that maintain effective management and sanitation of public outdoor dining and entertainment locations controlled by the Council.
- Increases to public liability insurance.
- Additional enforcement and monitoring activities flowing from this activity.
- Local marketing and communications to promote outdoor dining and entertainment activities including direct marketing campaigns.

The main assessment criteria include:
1. How the project will deliver on the purpose of the LCOEEP and the desired outcomes by demonstrating:
- That the council is facing significant upfront costs and may be unable to support enhanced outdoor dining to reach its full potential, for example, due to:
a) Density of hospitality where a comparatively large number of hospitality businesses are competing for space.
b) Complex road infrastructure; such as a high number of arterial roads that require more robust and expensive safety infrastructure.
c) Significant council resources committed to other areas of the COVID-19 response.
- How the cost of activating outdoor dining may also be compounded by financial difficulties due to lost revenue or significant resources dedicated to the COVID-19 response.
- How the project will add to local economic activity and employment creation.

2.  Applications must provide details of what the funding will be used for and:
- Demonstrate that project plans or site-specific plans have been developed.
- Demonstrate a sound approach to delivering the project, providing realistic timeframes for delivery, and demonstrating that the project is financially viable and represents value for money.
- Demonstrate capacity to implement and/or source expertise to manage the delivery of the project.
- Explain how the proposed infrastructure will be managed and its benefits sustained once the infrastructure is delivered.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Projects or initiatives that are subject to and/or require ongoing funding from the Victorian Government.
- Ongoing operating costs or salary subsidies, except where a salary subsidy provides project management support for the funded project or support to fast track permits.
- The purchase of land.
- Provision of public Wifi services.
- Upgrades or the provision of new infrastructure, technology and/or equipment inside of hospitality venues.
- Costs associated with locating and operating food trucks.
- Provision of direct grant funding to businesses or sole traders.
- Commissioning and implementing public art.