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Macedon Ranges Shire Council adopts interim affordable housing policy

The North Central Review
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Macedon Ranges Shire Council adopts interim affordable housing policy

By Tricia Mifsud

MACEDON Ranges Shire Council will aim to increase the supply of appropriate affordable housing in the shire through advocacy, decision making, facilitating and investing.

The council unanimously adopted an affordable housing interim policy at its December ordinary meeting, following a public exhibition period.

The interim policy is effective until 2023, when council is required to adopt the complete policy as part of the State Government’s Big Housing Build, which will invest $5.3 billion to increase the supply of social and affordable housing across Victoria.

“Further work is needed to prepare a comprehensive policy for Macedon Ranges Shire and this can be completed by 2023,” community care manager Fiona Alexander said.

“The draft interim policy has been developed as a time sensitive priority of council. Inputs have included environment review of local government approaches and engagement with relevant local peak bodies.”

The policy received eight written submissions and had one participant in an online forum, with a major response to the policy identifying the need for council to advocate for people living with disabilities because they were disproportionally affected.

Changes to the policy were made to ensure people with disabilities were included, such as to ‘understand that choice and control principles should be reflected in decisions related to housing needs of people with disability’ and to ‘understand the value of community, and the importance of an individual being able to stay close to his/her/their support networks’.

Other submissions related to the proposal of a particular section of council-owned land being repurposed for affordable housing, with residents concerned about land-use considerations.

It was also noted that insufficient data and history were provided regarding performance, following the tender for management of housing by a community housing provider.

Two submissions also commended council’s endeavours to provide affordable housing within the shire.

All submissions will be taken into consideration again when the complete policy is created in 2023.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council Mayor Jennifer Anderson thanked those involved in creating the interim policy and highlighted its importance to serving the community in years to come.

“This is an interim policy and taking note of the fact that it is a changing environment and there is a lot to know and to learn, and this is at least starting us on the path,” she said.

“It’s been a lot of hard work in the background over a very short period of time.

“I’d like to thank our chief executive in assisting to direct us all to know that this is an emerging area and we really need to start thinking about how we can support our community to ensure that we have adequate and affordable housing there to meet our community’s needs.”

Wallan a step closer to proposed Southern Aquatics Facility

The North Central Review
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Wallan a step closer to proposed Southern Aquatics Facility

By Colin MacGillivray

A WALLAN pool is a step closer after Mitchell Shire Council last week endorsed a Greenhill Reserve draft utilisation plan to investigate the precinct’s capacity to host an aquatic complex.

Council gave support for a proposed Southern Aquatics Facility, which will be at Greenhill Reserve pending the outcomes of land capability assessments and feasibility reports.

The proposed centre would also house gymnastics facilities, adding to the football, netball and bowls facilities already at the reserve. Council purchased the land on which the aquatics centre is proposed five years ago.

Council will also undertake community engagement to determine how the Greenhill precinct should be used.
Cr Rob Eldridge said council’s draft site utilisation plan was ‘a first step towards [investigating] how feasible it is to use the land’ for an aquatics facility.

“This has been a long time coming, and I’m sure the community will be very happy to see, at least at the early stages, something mentioning an aquatic centre,” he said.

Cr Bob Cornish said Wallan’s sporting infrastructure had been lagging while the area’s population boomed.

“The biggest town in the shire has no soccer field,” he said.

“Things like gymnastics have been in abeyance for such a long time. People have been involved for decades now and they’re coming to the end of their tenure when it comes to being on committees and so forth.

“I hope the community gets behind [this project] and speak with their various community and sporting groups and study it carefully.

“This is the future of Wallan, which is the fastest-growing part of the shire at the moment.

“To address these things now, probably about 10 years after they should have been addressed, I think we need to jump on board and get something positive happening.”

Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green said she was happy to see progress on the project after the Sate Government provided funding for a feasibility study several years ago.

“For a project of such magnitude, they need to spend a lot of money to get the costings right, so we gave them the money for the feasibility study,” she said.

“It’s fantastic that they’re looking at that location and I look forward to them coming to government through the various programs that we have to submit applications for funding.”

Ms Green said an aquatics facility would improve the health and wellbeing of Wallan residents, as well as providing jobs.

“In other parts of the Yan Yean electorate, things like swim schools have provided a lot of employment, particularly for mums with families,” she said.

“This will be a great job-generating project, not only during construction but ongoing as well. It’s a great move by council and I’m looking forward to the next steps.”

Cr Louise Bannister said while councillors acknowledged the facilities were overdue, the project could not be rushed.

“I know it’s frustrating that we can’t start building this facility tomorrow, because a facility is well overdue for the Wallan and Beveridge community,” she said.

“As it will be a project of massive importance and will require large funding on behalf of council, we need to make sure we get this right.”

Cr Fiona Stevens encouraged community members to have their say and help shape the project.

“The aquatic facility mentioned is a possible component of what might go on this site, but there are many other things planned for this site as well,” she said.

“We will investigate to see whether the land has the capacity and the capability to take these things on and that will move us forward.”

Shepparton’s Sam Birrell puts his hand up for Nationals

The North Central Review
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Shepparton’s Sam Birrell puts his hand up for Nationals

Shepparton’s Sam Birrell has confirmed he will seek pre-selection for the Nationals for the seat of Nicholls.

Current Member for Nicholls Damian Drum announced earlier this month he would retire from politics at next year’s federal election.

Nicholls covers an area from Broadford in the south to the Murray River, encompassing the northern part of Mitchell Shire, part of Strathbogie Shire, and the Campaspe, Greater Shepparton and Moira municipalies.

Mr Drum has served in federal Parliament for the past six years, representing the electorates of Nicholls and prior and, prior to that, Murray.

He was a State Government politician before enterting federal Parliament, representing the Victorian upper house for 14 years.

Mr Birrell recently resigned as chief executive of the Committee for Greater Shepparton – a position he had since March 2016.

The Committee for Greater Shepparton united the region’s business and community leaders to influence public policy, advocate on issues to strengthen the economy and make the region a more vibrant place to live.

Prior to that he worked as a horticultural agronomist in the Goulburn Valley and from 2008 to 2016 was an agronomist with global micro-irrigation company Netafim, where he worked across Australia and New Zealand.

In a statement to the media, Mr Birrell, a former Assumption College Kilmore student, said if more candidates nominated for the Nationals, a pre-selection process would occur in January.

“I have lived in this region for most of my life, and I care about it deeply,” he said.

“The region has benefited enormously from the Federal Government investments and policy initiatives that are the result of hard work and community engagement of the outgoing member Damian Drum.

“My strong conviction is that to continue this positive momentum for Nicholls, we need a highly capable Nationals member in a re-elected Coalition government, and I will be focusing all my abilities and energies on achieving that outcome.

“Despite the achievements so far, there is more work to do.”

Greater Shepparton councillor and businessman Rob Priestly has also indicated he will stand as an independent in the Nicholls election

Mr Drum’s retirement also opens the door for a Liberal candidate to stand in Nicholls.

The Shepparton News has reported Cobram pomegranate orchard farmer and business studies teacher Stephen Brooks, 38, will seek Liberal Party pre-selection.

Wallan still left waiting for Watson Street interchange

The North Central Review
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Wallan still left waiting for Watson Street interchange

By Colin MacGillivray

MEMBER for McEwen Rob Mitchell has renewed a call for the Federal Government to ‘come clean’ about the state of the Hume Freeway diamond interchange at Wallan’s Watson Street amid continued inaction.

Mr Mitchell said the government had remained silent on the status of the project after announcing $50 million to complete it in August last year.

Mr Mitchell said the installation of two south-facing freeway exit and entry ramps was long overdue.

“This is a glaring example of the Morrison government being all about the announcement and simply failing to deliver,” he said.

“This is about people’s safety and, now that the roads are back to normal, the amount of time wasted sitting in traffic.

“This is becoming ridiculous. How much longer can this government promise infrastructure and fail to put a shovel in the ground?”

The diamond interchange project is also contingent on State Government works, which include the construction of a new bridge next to the existing Watson Street bridge, two roundabouts and the duplication of some sections of Watson Street.

Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes said the Department of Transport had undertaken a detailed assessment of the existing Watson Street bridge, including geotechnical investigation of the existing foundations and below-ground conditions, to determine the best course of action.

“We are now in the process of finalising designs for the planned Hume Freeway-Watson Street interchange at Wallan following the necessary detailed inspections of the existing bridge and infrastructure,” she said.

“Further environmental and cultural heritage assessments will need to be undertaken before any essential early works, such as service relocations, can occur.”

Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green said the State Government would keep the community informed of any significant developments as the project progressed.

“We are planning for the future needs of the rapidly growing Wallan community, and the interchange with Watson Street and the Hume Freeway is a significant upgrade,” she said.

Mr Mitchell said the Federal Government was ultimately responsible for the project.

He said requests for updates on the status of the project with the office of the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development – formerly Michael McCormack, who visited the site in early 2020, and now Barnaby Joyce – had only received a reply that the project was ‘in planning.’

“The interchange is desperately needed now. Peak hour traffic is banking up on the Hume Freeway from the current Wallan exit, exposing motorists to danger as they sit waiting and cars and trucks fly by them at 110km per hour. It is a serious accident waiting to happen,” Mr Mitchell said.

“We need answers and I call on the [Federal] Government to move forward with this project without delay.”

Kilmore Quilters make a generous donation to Love in Action

The North Central Review
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Kilmore Quilters make a generous donation to Love in Action

By Tricia Mifsud

KILMORE Quilters have made a donation to Love in Action to support families in the Mitchell Shire this Christmas.

Unable to organise its usual fundraiser for a chosen charity this year, Kilmore Quilters’ Dellareece Matson coordinated the appeal to collect as much food, essential items and money for Love in Action.

“We do a quilt in every second year to support charities. This year we really wanted to keep it local and to see the benefits of those we are helping support,” Ms Matson said.

“Our members have been quite supportive and we were able to come up with a cheque as well as some other goodies.”

Ms Matson also reached out to her workplace to receive donations, and Kilmore Quilters raised $300 and donated a large assortment of goods that will be packed across what Love in Action Wallan expects to be at least 150 Christmas hampers for families in need.

“Every dollar is just as important as we can buy those things that haven’t been donated that we need,” Love in Action Wallan cofounder Jeremy Scrivens said.

“We’re not an organisation, we’re not incorporated, we are just friends helping friends and [through] that itself, people can connect and want to offer support.”

People can join the Love in Action Facebook group by visiting Love in Action on Facebook or email loveinactionwallan@gmail.com to donate or find more information.

Pyalong Pine Plantation to be assessed following community concerns

The North Central Review
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Pyalong Pine Plantation to be assessed following community concerns

ARBORISTS will assess nearly 300 trees at Pyalong Pine Plantation as part of a Mitchell Shire Council plan to allay community concerns about bushfire risk.

At last week’s meeting, councillors voted to endorse a plan involving an arborist inspection of 291 trees at the plantation, an uplift and clean-up of trees in line with Country Fire Authority, CFA, recommendations, and the potential removal of some trees from the plantation.

The plan was drawn up by council staff after the Pyalong community expressed concern about the potential for a bushfire at the plantation, citing its proximity to Pyalong Primary School and several houses as particularly concerning.

A CFA fire-risk assessment of the plantation determined the removal of pine trees was unnecessary, but work could be done to reduce ground-level fuel to minimise the risk the pine trees presented.

Councillors unanimously voted to adopt a plan involving an arborist assessment of each tree, rather than two other options presented by council staff – to do nothing, or to remove all of the trees at an estimated cost of $236,000.

Community consultation indicated the majority of Pyalong residents favoured the option taken by council.

Cr Rhonda Sanderson said the plan would help put the community’s mind at ease.

“The CFA’s fuel-hazard assessment is moderate, with a low likelihood and low consequence for ignition,” she said.

“[This option] is a good starting point for this issue, which has been raised for a number of years and was also raised through community planning that happened a couple of years ago.”

Cr Fiona Stevens said the Pyalong community had been ‘very concerned’ about what it saw as a potential safety risk.

“It has been investigated thoroughly, and [this option] is a good starting point,” she said.

“Hopefully that will alleviate the risk and some of their concerns.”

The estimated cost of council’s plan is $46,840, with an ongoing annual maintenance cost of $2000 and further costs likely to be incurred following the arborist assessment and the development of a tree management plan.

Sydney Street rejuvenation plans supported by potential car park location

The North Central Review
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Sydney Street rejuvenation plans supported by potential car park location

MITCHELL Shire Council has identified nearly 200 current and potential future off-street car parking spaces as it continues to advance its Sydney Street rejuvenation plans.

The $3.37 million rejuvenation project will remove 34 car parking spaces from Sydney Street, with council aiming to introduce more off-street parking and better signage to existing parking to compensate.

In October councillors directed officers to prepare a report outlining additional parking opportunities in Kilmore.

As reported in last week’s Review, a group of four developers say they will refuse to spend money on their Sydney Street properties if council proceeds with its rejuvenation plans – particularly the scrapping of car parking spaces.

The report, tabled at last week’s meeting, recommended council-owned land at 24 Melbourne Street, behind the Royal Oak Hotel be used as a preferred location for supplementing the number of Kilmore car parking spaces in the short term, while noting several other potential future car parking spaces.

There are currently 45 parking spaces at 24 Melbourne Street but the report found the site could support up to 75 spaces. The estimated $450,000 cost of the car park expansion was referred to council’s 2022-23 capital works program for further budget consideration.

Cr Annie Goble said community concerns about the loss of on-street car parking under the rejuvenation project had been heard and council was trying its best to address them.

“I want to reassure the community that all councillors did listen to the community in regard to their concerns about the loss of 34 car parks in the main street of Kilmore,” she said.

“The benefits of the Kilmore revitalisation project far outweigh that … [and] we are addressing off-street car parking.

“This report has brought to us some really substantial further information. The expansion of existing car parking on the council-owned land at 24 Melbourne Street will give us 30 additional spaces.

“A total of 184 additional car parks have been identified through the investigation in this report. We’re not going to be able to deliver them all – the budget will not allow for that – but at least we’ve identified them, and … as is required, we will have these spaces available.”

Cr Louise Bannister said the car park at 24 Melbourne Street was underutilised by members of the public and better signage to notify people the car park was there could result in more people using it.

“It’s a fantastic car park – it’s got trees, it is so easy to park in and it’s only 20 seconds’ walk from there to the main street,” she said.

“The biggest problem is it’s sometimes assumed that it’s not public car parking. It is public car parking all day.

“[I want] to reassure people who are concerned about the elderly or mums with prams needing access to main street car parking. I can tell you I’m a mum with a pram and there is no way I’m parking on Sydney Street at the minute with the trucks going past.”

Cr Rhonda Sanderson noted the expansion of the car park would only be considered in a future council budget and was not yet approved.

“I don’t want anyone to think it’s in the budget, because it’s not yet,” she said.

“We’ll weigh it up, we’ll look at the priorities, but [this is] an attempt to bring it up in the budget process.”

City of Whittlesea to improve issues identified in maternal and child health services

Max Davies
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City of Whittlesea to improve issues identified in maternal and child health services

By Max Davies

THE City of Whittlesea is planning to improve its maternal and child health services, including addressing funding shortages to meet a growing population and a backlog of cases due to COVID-19 lockdowns.

Several issues were outlined in a draft paper commissioned last month and discussed by council administrators and staff at this month’s council meeting.

Administrators voted to endorse a suite of advocacy ‘asks’ to address issues relating to the funding and provision of maternal and child health services within council’s operational advocacy framework.

The service is a free universal primary health service for all Victorian families with children from newborns to school age aimed at optimising health, wellbeing, safety, development and learning outcomes for children and their families.

Administrators voted to endorse a draft Interface Councils Maternal and Child Health Issues paper, helping to identify current significant sector challenges.

The paper outlines the main sources of issues reported across all interface councils, including the City of Whittlesea, Mitchell Shire and City of Hume, with the issues grouped into six primary themes.

The themes include workforce shortages, funding gaps across the entirety of the model, population growth, and COVID-19 impacts among other factors.

Also identified are issues in the Key Age and Stage Framework, KAS, including an outdated time allocation of 6.75 hours per child, additional demands on the framework and an expansion of issues that staff are required to assess and respond to per consultation.

The City of Whittlesea also identified a series of priority ‘asks’, including a review of workforce challenges and development of a workforce strategy, a review of the KAS framework, development of a new IT infrastructure system and a funding boost to cover the backlog of cases as a result of COVID.

The report was developed through consultation and engagement with involved groups, council’s maternal and child health services team and council’s senior advocacy advisor.

The vote to endorse the report will allow council to work through the Interface Councils Group to lead collective interface advocacy activities and develop an advocacy plan to undertake localised activities and leverage localised discussions.

Chair administrator Lydia Wilson said it was important to understand the issues the service was facing.

“In reading the report, I was really quite surprised to understand some of the current issues that are being experienced right across the whole range of MCH services, which is such an important service to all of our communities,” she said.

“I was … fully supportive a strong advocacy approach, supporting the Interface Group of Councils but also more broadly.”

Council plans to meet with relevant ministers from now until February 2022, formulate pre-budget submissions by January, 2022 and host community engagement from now until April, 2022.

WR (2021-12-14)

The North Central Review
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WR (2021-12-14)

NCR (2021-12-14)

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