Month: April 2010

Ringwood Cricket Club – 2010 Presentation Night

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The Ringwood Cricket Club is based at Jubilee Park in Ringwood and fields four sides in Victorian Premier Cricket, as well as  a fifth side in the Eastern Cricket Association.   This evening I attended the Ringwood Cricket Club’s presentation evening where distinguished players were recognised for their cricketing skills over the season.   The Club has a strong presence both on and off the field, whereby it is supported by volunteers and sponsors who provide valuable assistance to the Club and its activities.

The presentation evening held at the Karralyka Centre, provided an opportunity to reflect on these successes and to build a strong foundation for the upcoming Cricket Season.  Jubilee Park, with a range of sporting activities including Aquatic, Football, Cricket, and Soccer, is one of Maroondah’s premiere sporting precincts.  Council is replacing the grass at the second oval at Jubilee Park and will be increasing its water allocation, through other water savings, to ensure a playable surface for the upcoming season.

In addition, Council is undertaking a Management Plan of Jubilee Park, which will improve accessibility and the management of each of the facilities, as well as assessing the future needs for this precinct and Maroondah.  Combined, these initiatives will help ensure that we continue to meet the sporting and recreational needs of the Maroondah community.

Maroondah Relay for Life – Information Evening

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The Relay for Life began in 1985 in the United States and has since been held in 21 countries worldwide, including Australia.  This year a local Maroondah family will be organising a Relay for Life in Maroondah, which will be held on the 20th and 21st of November at Town Park Athletic Track in Croydon.  The Relay for Life is held over the two days, where Cancer survivors, carers, family and friends participate in the event to raise funds for Cancer research and support.

This evening an information session was held at the Maroondah City Council, whereby a committee was formed to organise and oversee the event.  While the Relay for Life is a community based event, Maroondah Council  is providing assistance, ensuring that we are working in partnership to help raise funds and awareness for this cause.

I urge the Maroondah community to support this event, either through volunteering, raising funds or participating in the relay on the 20th and 21st of November at Town Park Athletic Track in Croydon,

Media Release: Proposed reporting framework a drain on Council funds

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The City of Maroondah will be forced to find up to $40,000 more in its annual Budget if new reporting requirements are introduced by the State Government.

The proposed requirements, released in a recent draft report by the Essential Services Commission (ESC), would leave Council to bear the administrative costs of annually reporting on an additional 65 performance indicators.

Mayor of Maroondah, Cr Alex Makin, said Council’s concerns were shared by the Municipal Association of Victoria.

“What we’re seeing is a proposal that would add nothing to Maroondah in terms of service delivery or extracting the best value from the ratepayer’s dollar,” Cr Makin said.

“While the City of Maroondah appreciates the necessity of compliance with reporting demands, it’s come to a stage where enough is enough as costs threaten to spiral out of control,” Cr Makin said.

According to the MAV, the ESC has identified more than 100 separate reporting demands already imposed on local government by at least 17 different State Government departments and agencies.

“If Council is forced to work within the ESC’s proposed reporting framework, money to enable compliance must be sourced from Maroondah’s Budget. These funds could be better directed to providing vital infrastructure projects and services for the Maroondah community,” Cr Makin said.

For more information on the proposed reporting framework, phone the MAV on 9667 5555.

– ENDS –

Maroondah Leader: Council push on demands

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The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) is the peak body representing each local council across Australia.  Each year ALGA holds a national assembly, whereby Councils can submit and debate motions to help shape the priorities and advocacy undertaken by the organisation.

The City of Maroondah has proposed several motions consistent with the themes of population, productivity and participation, which are central to this year’s ALGA National Assembly:

That this National General Assembly calls on the Commonwealth Government to financially support the upgrade of infrastructure within large Metropolitan Activity Centres to cater for the increased population growth by 2050.

That this National General Assembly calls on the Commonwealth Government to ensure that any possible changes to the funding of health care services, particularly the area of Home and Community Care (HACC) and Maternal and Child Health services, does not impact on current funding arrangements with Local Government.

That this National General Assembly calls on both the State and Federal Governments to provide financial assistance for the roll out of Energy Efficient Street lighting.

The Maroondah Leader has reported on the motions proposed by the City of Maroondah:

Mayor Alex Makin said the council wanted to ensure that changes to the funding of health care services did not impact on current funding arrangements with local government.
Many Victorian councils deliver home and community care, as well as maternal and child services, Cr. Makin said. “The commonwealth must be alerted to the need to protect their financial interests and community wellbeing with any changes to the system.”

The Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly will be held in Canberra from the 14th to the 17th of June.

Maroondah Leader: Council hopes Ringwood station cash is on track

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The State Government will release its budget on the 4th of May, whereby it will be hoped that funding towards the complete redevelopment of Ringwood Station will be committed.

The Maroondah Leader has reported on the desired redevelopment of Ringwood Station, which is Maroondah’s number one priority for State Government funding.

Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said that with work expecting to start on the $39.1 million bus interchange and town centre facelift in the next few months, now was the time to act.

“The council is asking that stage two of the redevelopment be funded so it can be done concurrently, instead of having two distinct projects,” he said.

While works on the redevelopment of the bus interchange and station forecourt are expected to begin this July, the current funding excludes the Station itself, meaning that Ringwood Station will still not meet accessibility standards.  It is essential that funding is committed for the complete redevelopment of Ringwood Station so that Maroondah is provided with a safe, accessible and integrated transport interchange.

The City of Maroondah is calling on the State Government to pledge the required funding for the complete redevelopment of Ringwood Station.

Commemorating Anzac Day

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Maroondah has two Anzac Day Dawn Services, one at the Ringwood Clocktower and the other at the War Memorial in Croydon.  The services are organised through the RSL branches and this morning I attended the Dawn Service along with Councillors Nora Lamont, Ann Fraser and Natalie Thomas.

The Ringwood service was attended by approximately 3000 people, demonstrating the ongoing significance of Anzac Day within Australian history.  The Ringwood Branch of the RSL must be commended for organising the Dawn Service and for their generosity in providing breakfast to the attendees at the Ringwood RSL.

Launching The Vault – Community Drop In Centre

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The Vault is a community based Drop In Centre located in Ringwood and is operated through the Activate Church..  The centre has an emphasis on younger people and aims to create a safe and friendly community space with a range activities.

As the Mayor of Maroondah I had the pleasure of officially opening The Vault, where I acknowledged the partnerships that have been formed with Council, the community, businesses and the Police to assist in providing a safer environment for Ringwood.

Alex officially opening The Vault - Community Drop In Centre in Ringwood
Alex officially opening The Vault - Community Drop In Centre in Ringwood

The Vault gains its name from being located within the building of a former bank, whereby hours of work were undertaken to create a friendly and safe atmosphere for participants. The activities will be run entirely through volunteers and plans are already underway to expand the services provided through the Vault, including food relief and Internet access.

The Vault officially opens from 10am on Tuesday the 27th of April and is located in the Melbourne Street Mall in Ringwood, opposite Ringwood Station.

Maroondah’s April Citizenship Ceremony

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The City of Maroondah provides at least four citizenship ceremonies per year to provide an opportunity for new Australians to become citizens of Australia.

The Mayor has the pleasure of conducting the ceremony and this evening the City of Maroondah welcomed 96 new citizens into the municipality.  The Citizenship Ceremonies are held at the Karralyka Centre, with music provided by the Croydon Brass Band.

Alex welcoming new citizens into Maroondah
Alex welcoming new citizens into Maroondah

Maroondah is a diverse municipality and it is a wonderful experience to be able to welcome new citizens into the municipality.  I trust that our new Australians will enjoy their life within Maroondah.

Day Two of the Local Government Ministerial Forum

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The Local Government Ministerial Forum continued today with an opening keynote address from the Premier, John Brumby.  The Premier discussed State Government policies relevant to Local Government, including the planning system and  Central Activities Districts.

The State Government, in conjunction with local councils, designated several urban centres as Central Activities Districts, including Ringwood, Box Hill, Dandenong and Frankston within the eastern region of Melbourne.

The policy aims to encourage mixed-use centres, with a range of residential, commercial and community facilities.  These urban centres need a whole of Government approach to achieve these objectives, particularly in regard to infrastructure investment.

For example, many of these centres, including Ringwood, require public transport improvements to encourage sustainable forms of transport and to support the development of these urban centres.

Furthermore, there is a need to ensure that community facilities are provided within these centres to ensure vibrant and active communities.  The City of Maroondah, supports Ringwood’s status as  a Central Activities District, but there is a need for a coordinated approach to ensure a vibrant and sustainable urban centre.

The Local Government Ministerial Forum provided an opportunity to enter into direct dialogue with the State Government.  It is hoped that the City of Maroondah will have the opportunity for further discussions with Ministers and the Government to achieve positive outcomes for the community.

Day One of the Local Government Ministerial Forum

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The Local Government Ministerial Forum includes presentations from several State Government Ministers on issues relevant to Local Government.

The forum is held over two days, with the first day including presentations from several Ministers including:

  • Richard Wynne, the Minister for Local Government,
  • Gavin Jennings, the Minister for the Environment,
  • Justin Madden, the Minister for Planning,
  • Lily D’Ambrosio, the Minister for Community Development and
  • James Merlino, the Minister for Sports, Recreation and Youth Affairs.

The presentations included discussion in regard to the State Government’s priorities and the need for ongoing collaboration between Local and State Government.

The first day of the forum was useful in hearing how each Minister sees the role of Local Government and to meet each of them individually.