News
Golden Plains Shire News
Council has considered a draft Municipal Fire Management Plan. This plan aims to improve the level of co-operation and understanding between all the agencies involved in planning and responding to bushfires across Golden Plains.
The plan is inevitably complex because it documents organisation arrangements, an environmental scan, fire risk management strategies, a communications plan and other information.
Among other things, the plan provides information about the level of risk to ‘assets’ within the shire and the ways reduce this risk in each case. ‘Assets’ are defined by their role in our community including human settlement, economy, environment and heritage. As you can imagine, it is a voluminous data base.
The plan has been placed on Council’s website for comment. A detailed consultation plan has been prepared that includes the community, authorities, special interest groups etc. An information session will be held in Bannockburn, currently set to coincide with the Farmers Market on 1 October.
Bannockburn Recreation Stadium
The YMCA of Geelong is the successful tenderer for the management and operation of the Bannockburn Community Stadium and the Bannockburn Recreation Centre. YMCA Geelong has presented a tender that delivers outstanding value for money with an emphasis on working in strong partnership with the Bannockburn Primary School, Golden Plains Shire and the community.
Hearing Clinic
Fiona Sutherland from Waurn Ponds Hearing Clinic is now delivering this service from the Bannockburn Family Services Centre. FionawillbeatthecentrefortnightlyonaFriday. Theclinicisavailable to pensioners, Department of Veterans' Affairs clients and children and adults of all ages. Services include hearing tests, hearing aid fitting and hearing aid servicing. For more information contact the Bannockburn Family Services Centre on 5220 7230.
Bannockburn Community and Cultural Hub
Readers may have seen a period of inactivity at the Bannockburn Community and Cultural Hub. The project has reached 80% completion. Council officers are working closely with the Contractor under the existing contract arrangements to re-commence works as soon as possible. Council's Major Projects team is working hard to keep the project moving ahead and limit any further delays. It is still anticipated that the Bannockburn Library, Community and Cultural Hub will be open to the public in the first quarter of the new year.
2011 Seniors Festival in Golden Plains
The 2011 Victorian Seniors Festival is being held from Sunday 2nd October to Sunday 9th October. Golden Plains Shire is organising a wide variety of entertainment. This includes: Live Entertainment in Meredith, ‘Big Day Out’ Bus Tour – Otway Experience, ‘Come & Try’ Days – Lawn Bowl & Golf, Trailblazer Walks along the Rainbow Bird Trail to the Jubilee mine site, an activity day in Dereel, the Evergreen Faces Photo Exhibition and the launch of the 2012 ‘Snapshot’ Bus Tours.
Detailed information on all events held during the Seniors Festival will be available in the coming weeks and promoted heavily throughout the Shire. For further information on Seniors Festival Activities please contact Sam Lovejoy on 5220 7189 or email slovejoy@ gplains.vic.gov.au
Fire Services Levy
The annual budgets of Victoria’s three fire services are funded by insurance companies, the State government and metropolitan councils (who contribute 12.5% of the MFB’s annual operating cost).
Insurance companies contribute 77.5% of the annual cost of operating the CFA. They pass on this cost through a levy on insurance policy premiums known as the Fire Services Levy (FSL). This is clearly inequitable becomes many people don’t take out insurance or under insure their properties. Nevertheless, uninsured people benefit from the CFA’s services in the same way as those who insure their property.
The Royal Commission into the Black Saturday bush fires recommended that the State replace the FSL with a property based levy. The State Government has now floated a proposal that the FSL be replaced by a new levy on all property including those not currently subjects to rates (eg local government property, public infrastructure, churches, etc). The proposal includes a levy based on both a fixed charge and a charge based on property value. It suggests that this charge be collected by local government.
There are substantial new costs that would arise to all of us from this proposal, such as the inclusion of local government property, the loss of State stamp duty (levied on insurance policies) and the cost to councils of administering the service on behalf of the State. The State wants the new arrangements to be cost neutral to the State. But someone has to pay and local government has no option but to pass on the administration costs.
There are many complex issues to be resolved and decisions made. I strongly agree that a more equitable system is required but I have equally strong reservations about using councils as a tax collector for services that are delivered by the State not local government. Local Government is consulting with the State about the most cost effective way to implement a new system. I'll keep you informed.
Parkers Rd Bridge
After a slow start to bridge works, Parkers Rd between Stegleitz Rd and Russells Bridge Road is now closed and will remain so until the 1st of Dec. Delays in pre-casting works off site have delayed the on site construction works start until this week.
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
