At the July Council meeting held in Cooma, Snowy Monaro Regional Council Councillors voted to reclassify the land on which Yallambee Lodge and Snowy River Hostel aged care facilities sit in Cooma and Berridale.
Council had voted at its May 2021 meeting to begin a market-sounding process to transition its aged care facilities to a new specialist provider, with conditions guaranteeing the continuation of services, jobs and the creation of a new aged care facility in Jindabyne.
The land reclassification is a necessary part of this process noted above. The facilities and the lands they occupy needed to be classified as operational land in order for any transition to go ahead.
Providers expressing interest needed to meet strict criteria including a demonstrated track record in delivering quality care, a commitment to retaining existing staff, alignment with council and community values and a capacity to invest in additional care facilities in the region, by developing a new facility to service Jindabyne.
One of the applicants in the EOI phase has progressed to the next stage given their address of the required and desirable criteria. They will now go to the proposal stage, due by early September. If the Council deems this to be suitable, transfer to the new operator could occur later this year.
Council CEO Peter Bascomb said any change of operator would include strong safeguards for employees and residents.
Council has engaged leading national advisory firm Ernst & Young (EY) to conduct the divestment process, with the belief that a larger, specialist aged care organisation that understands the community values of the Snowy Monaro will be in a stronger position to continue to provide the quality care that residents expect and deserve.
