News
Golden Plains Shire News
As many Bannockburn readers know, Pope St has been a maintenance problem for many years, especially between Moore St and the High St.
It is relatively narrow for a two way local road and currently handles about 1,800 vehicles a day. Council has now provided funds for its upgrading from High Street to Burnside Road. The works in Pope Street will comprise kerb and channel, completion of concrete footpath and widening of the existing pavement with a pavement and hotmix overlay. Detailed design plans are being prepared for these works.
Congratulations to the Farmers Market
The Golden Plains and Moorabool Valley regions are famous for fresh food, award-winning wines and gourmet food producers. The Golden Plains Farmers Market has been awarded the prestigious ‘Judges Award’ in the Geelong Business Excellence Awards. The market is held on the first Saturday of each month in Bannockburn and attracts 40 stall holders regularly.
As a genuine farmers’ market, it must adhere to market rules, and has been awarded accreditation status with the Victorian Farmers’ Market Association. These rules ensure that products sold are grown within 100km of the market and are either a first stage product, such as vegetables, or are ‘value added’ products such as jam and wine.
The award recognises the hard working staff, stall holders and other community participation such as the SES, Bannockburn & District Arts, Lions and CFA. The Golden Plains Farmers’ Market is a fine example of how local businesses, the council and the community can work together to create an event that is truly special. My particular thanks go to Felicity Bolitho, Peter McGovern, Jessica Chappell and David Spear for their hard work. And my heartiest congratulations to the stall holders who actually make the market what it is every month.
Bannockburn Truck Route
Readers will be aware that Council is considering a future heavy vehicle by-pass for Bannockburn. The reason for this is that the future growth of the town is expected to create major traffic management problems in the High St. This is especially so in the vicinity of the retail precinct, which will be redeveloped and greatly enlarged over the next few years. In addition, the railway crossing, with four roads intersecting, is a vehicular choke point, which is getting steadily busier with no available alternative.
The junction of Milton St and the High St is also expected to become very busy in the future with residential development taking place to the west and a new school anticipated in that area. This will require a round-about or traffic lights in the medium term, neither of which are good for heavy vehicle through traffic.
The High St already carries about 4,800 vehicles per day. 15% of these are heavy goods vehicles. Council is therefore doing some long term planning around heavy vehicle movements. Council has deferred any decision on an alternative truck route pending a detailed feasibility study. This study is expected to be completed in February 2012. Council has not provided any funds for construction of a new truck route and I emphasise the long term nature of the planning.
State Cuts Funds to Libraries
Library services in Golden Plains Shire are delivered by the Geelong Regional Library Corporation (GRLC) on Council’s behalf. In 2011/12 Council has budgetted $462,000 in operating costs for this service and the opening of the new Bannockburn library.
The State Government contributes an annual grant to each municipality towards library operating costs. In the past this grant has been adjusted for CPI and population growth. The grant being offered by the State to Golden Plains Shire this year is $136,639 down from $137,904 last financial year. There is no provision for CPI (currently 3.6% pa) or population growth.
Across the GRLC’s four council’s, the shortfall is about $70,000 (allowing for CPI and growth). The loss of this escalating factor is critical for the GRLC and would lead to service cuts if the grant is not adjusted upwards. The shortfall State-wide is estimated to be in the order of $800,000 plus.
Library services are one of the most popular and used services provided by local government. They contribute substantially to the community’s economy. Golden Plains Shire is joining with other municipalities to lobby the State Government to reverse their funding decision so that library services can improved and rather than degraded.
Bannockburn Community and Cultural Hub
The Community and Cultural Hub includes:
• a multi-purpose hall,
• neighbourhood house,
• library,
• community-learning centre,
• playgroup facilities,
• flexible use space for small business and youth services, and
• car park.
Construction activity is currently focused inside the facility. Plastering and painting in the library have been completed, while internal windows and lighting are progressing. The courtyard decking (to the rear of the library) has been completed with hard landscaping (paving) being 90% complete. Plastering and painting in the training and meeting rooms have been completed and internal windows and glazing are progressing;
In the new Public Hall internal plastering and external decking is progressing and installation of timber flooring has commenced.
Drainage and storm-water works have been completed, the internal foyer area has been tiled, installation of concrete platform at foyer entrance has commenced and mechanical units on site are being installed.
My Contact Details
My contact details are:
mobile 0427 680 901,
telephone 03 5265 1058,
fax 03 5265 1653,
e-mail dcotsell@bigpond.com
David Cotsell
Councillor, Golden Plains Shire
