What is the difference between three and four?
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This was a question Berrigan Shire Council and the Finley Saleyards were forced to ask themselves after a plan for four new sheep ramps managed to lose a ramp during the tender process.
The number mismatch was only discovered in early July when council staff met with saleyard stakeholders to go over the installation process.
By this point, council had already paid for three ramps which where built and ready for installation.
Stakeholders informed staff they were expecting four ramps, but staff said their brief had always been for three ramps.
A bit of backtracking revealed that the original plan, prepared by ProWay, detailed four sheep ramps — three at a 30 degree angle and one at 90 degrees to the road.
But the tender council submitted in late 2021 only mentioned three ramps at 30 degrees, missing the important 90 degree angle ramp.
Saleyard stakeholders such as the Finley Associated Stock and Station Agents and the Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers Association were left confused.
In his letter to Berrigan Shire Council after the meeting, Finley Associated Stock and Station Agents president Nathan Everingham urged council to quickly include a fourth ramp.
“The manufacturer said he has made five ramps, so it will not delay anything to put in the extra fourth ramp,” Mr Everingham said.
“In all prior discussion it was always to be four ramps, and when you applied for the grants, I believe it was for four ramps.”
The ramps are in critical need of upgrade at the Finley Saleyards, with Mr Everingham trying to hurry the process along on July 5.
“As of yesterday another winch on a ramp is not working. So currently we only have one ramp accessible for B-doubles that is working properly, which is disgraceful and embarrassing,” he said.
“We do look forward to these new ramps and hope it is now only days away from being installed and completed.”
Two weeks later, on July 20, council was asked to decide the fate of the missing fourth ramp.
In the meeting it was recommended that councillors postpone the consideration of a fourth sheep ramp until September, allowing time for an independent viability and options report to be completed.
In the report, deputy chief executive officer Matthew Hansen (not to be confused with Mayor Matthew Hannan) said there had only ever been a commitment to three ramps.
“Council staff are of the opinion that the council is not committed to the installation of an additional fourth ramp,” Mr Hansen said.
However, Mr Hansen did note the September delay would make it more expensive to install the fourth ramp, compared to rushing it through with the first three.
Initially, Berrigan Shire councillors Roger Reynoldson and Sarah McNaught moved to postpone the installation of the fourth ramp until after September, however that motion was not supported by enough councillors.
Cr Reynoldson and Cr John Taylor then moved to approve the installation of the fourth sheep ramp at the cost of $55,000 as soon as possible.
That motion was accepted by council.
Berrigan Shire Mayor Matthew Hannan said the ProWay plan was only a recommendation and council had made the decision to go with three initially to save money.
“Plans and recommendations are always being put to council, and it’s up to council to make decisions around those,” Cr Hannan said.
“The transport operators had their say and suggested four ramps. Council decided on three.”
Cr Hannan said it was important to note council had now committed to building the fourth ramp.
“But it will be smaller in size because of the location the transport operators have chosen,” he said.
“Where they would like the the ramp to go it actually can’t be built because of underground services.”
On August 2 construction began at the saleyards, but after a few days another sheep ramp dilemma was discovered.
Mr Everingham said the 90 degree ramp is actually being built at 180 degrees — straight out to the road.
“The whole idea of the 90 degree angle ramp was it kept trucks off the road. This 180 degree angle ramp wouldn’t do that and if a truck’s there others can’t get around it,” he said.
On August 9, saleyard stakeholders and the council were again in deep talks to get their 90 degree angle ramp, Mr Everingham said.
“It’s frustrating how long this is taking (the construction) and the lack of consultation with us. We’re the ones down here everyday using it,” he said.
“They (council) have changed quite a few of the people in charge, the supervisors, so there has been a few different drawings and we have to keep pointing back to the original plan.”
The sheep ramps are only one part of a larger safety overhaul at the Finley Saleyards.
Journalist