Another Victorian rural council is about to stop issuing building permits.
Gannawarra Shire Council is the latest of many councils across the state who are ending what until recently was considered a core council responsibility.
Some have pointed to the virtual impossibility of hiring qualified people to take on the role as council's municipal building surveyor.
Others have also pointed to the rising trend of councils around Australia choosing to move to a more "cost effective" model where the service is now in private hands.
More than 90 per cent of building permits are now carried out by private certifiers.
Gannawarra Shire is headquartered in Kerang but includes Cohuna, Koondrook, Leitchville and Quambatook.
Neighbouring councils like Swan Hill Rural and Campaspe are also directing building permit applications to private certifiers.
Swan Hill Rural City Council said it had stopped "due to a critical shortage of qualified and registered building professional staff in Victoria".
Gannawarra council last week said it had made "the difficult decision" to permanently stop issuing building permits for new homes, extensions, garages and commercial projects.
"This decision is not uncommon for rural municipalities, with neighbouring councils either unable to attract applicants for municipal building surveyors or opting to cease issuing building permits," council's chief executive officer Geoff Rollinson said.
Council's need the permission of the Victorian government to stop their service.
They still have the statutory obligation of enforcing compliance with the building regulations and investigating suspected non-compliance with building laws.
Many councils are directing people to visit https://www.aibs.com.au/ for help to find a private surveyor.
Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
