Tag: submission

Media Release: Draft Community Facilities Occupancy Policy and Pricing Policy on public display

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Maroondah City Council has endorsed the draft Community Facilities Occupancy Policy and the draft Community Facilities Pricing Policy for public display.

The policies were presented at the Council meeting on September 20.

Council currently owns or manages more than 100 sports fields, pavilions, halls, meeting rooms and other facilities on behalf of the community.

Maroondah Mayor Councillor Alex Makin said the draft policies were developed concurrently and were directly aligned.

“The draft policies provide a comprehensive framework for the community use of Council owned or managed facilities,” Cr Makin said.

“The draft Community Facilities Occupancy Policy and the draft Community Facilities Pricing Policy will guide the process of determining appropriate occupancy agreements and pricing structures for all Council owned or managed facilities and ensure the agreements are consistent and transparent,” Cr Makin said.

“The draft policies aim to establish clear frameworks so the community groups know what they are paying for, why they are paying and that other users groups in similar situations are contributing in a consistent manner,” Cr Makin said.

“Under the draft Community Facilities Occupancy Policy community groups wishing to use Council owned or managed facilities will have to undergo an assessment to determine the suitability of the proposed arrangement and the length of tenure. Once this assessment has taken place Council will then discuss the rate of rental,” Cr Makin said.

“There are two existing policies relating to the occupancy and the pricing of community facilities, however these policies have not been updated for a number of years. During this time there has been changes to legislation, increased emphasis on risk management and occupational health and safety requirements and changes to the way the groups are using the facilities,” Cr Makin said.

“To meet these new needs Council has also reassessed the pricing structure associated with the use of Council facilities. The current pricing structure has been in place for the past 11 years and was established with the intention that Council could recover an estimated 30 per cent of facility maintenance costs,” Cr Makin said.

“In the past 11 years that margin has dropped significantly and Council is currently recovering on average 3 per cent of maintenance costs for the sporting grounds and 15 per cent for the pavilions,” Cr Makin said.

“Council believes the sporting grounds and community facilities are integral to the development of a strong community, which is why we subsidise and support the many groups which use them,” Cr Makin said.

“We need to have a system in place which allows for the reasonable, transparent and equitable use of these facilities,” Cr Makin said.

The policies cover most Council owned facilities or grounds including:

  • Council Owned Community Halls
  • Community Centres
  • Kindergartens
  • Senior Citizens Centres
  • Sporting Pavilions
  • Sports Grounds and sporting activity surfaces
  • Scout and Guide Halls
  • Facilities managed by Council Committees of Management
  • Maroondah Federation Estate

The draft policies will be on public display until October 26. Those wanting to make a submission must do so before this date. Following consideration of the submissions the policies will be amended where appropriate and Council endorsement will be sought.

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Media Release: Lighting the way to a greener future

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Maroondah residents are being asked to sign an online campaign, Give Our Streets the Green Light, to lobby the government to fund a changeover to energy-efficient street lighting.

Council has joined the Municipal Association of Victoria and other Victorian councils to lobby the state and commonwealth governments to fund the changeover to new energy-efficient globes.

In Maroondah the upfront costs of replacing more than 5500 mercury vapour globes currently lighting Maroondah’s streets is about $2million.

Maroondah Mayor Councillor Alex Makin said the goal was to reduce Council’s greenhouse gas emissions and create a greener more energy-efficient future.

“By changing all local road street lights from the mercury vapour 80W lamps to a more energy efficient lighting it would not only benefit the environment but it would save on electricity costs.

“Council estimates that 36 per cent of its green house gas emissions and 39 per cent of its electricity costs are generated by street lighting,” Cr Makin said.

“Electricity is predominately generated by burning brown coal which results in significant green house gases,” Cr Makin said.

“By making the change we can reduce our carbon footprint and work towards mitigating the effects of climate change,” Cr Makin said.

“The sooner the change over, the sooner we start making a difference,” Cr Makin said.

Maroondah Council has been a strong advocate for the campaign, moving a motion at the Australian Local Government Association’s National General Assembly in June calling on the campaign to be adopted as an issue of national significance.

The Give Our Streets the Green Light campaign, organised by the Municipal Association of Victoria, aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 78,000 tonne over the life of the lights. That equates to about 31.2 billion black balloons or 341,917 cars off the road for a year.

Residents can pledge their support by signing an online submission www.greenlightourstreets.org.au or by sending a letter to their local Member of Parliament.

Discussing Maroondah’s Draft Budget on Eastern FM

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Radio Eastern 98.1 FM is a community based station based at Wyreena Community Arts Centre and covers the municipalities of Maroondah, Knox and Yarra Ranges. The station interviews Councillors from Maroondah City Council on the first Friday of each month and the segment is used to discuss Council activities.

This morning I was interviewed in regard to the Council Budget, where I provided some context behind the 2010-2011 Draft Budget. Unlike State and Federal Governments which simply deliver their finalised budgets in May, Councils are required to undertake consultation in regard to draft budgets.

As a result, Council held a special meeting of Council on the 12th May, where Councillors adopted the Draft Budget by placing it on public exhibition, whereby written submissions can be made until 5pm on Tuesday the 15th of June.

In addition, submitters have the option of speaking about their submission in front of a panel of Council comprising of Cr. Nora Lamont, Cr. Rob Steane and myself that will meet at 7pm on Wednesday the 23rd of June.

The 2010-2011 Draft Budget with the accompanying four year Council Plan proposes a vision for Maroondah, where Council provides a new standard of community facilities, complemented with a return to an operational surplus within two years. Maroondah City Council has consecutively delivered an operational deficit and this situation cannot continue if we want to be in a position where we can deliver the best results for our community.

One of the new initiatives proposed in the Draft Budget is a new Regional Leisure and Aquatic Centre for Ringwood. The 2010-2011 Draft Budget proposes to undertake detailed design work, including community consultation, to ascertain the composition of this facility. This detailed design work, equates to 1.1% of the overall rate figure of 9.8%.

The detailed design work will ensure that the community consultation that is undertaken by Council will deliver tangible results and ensure that the proposed aquatic centre meets the needs of the community.

Council will be considering all submissions prior to the finalisation of the Council Budget, which will be held at a special meeting of council on Monday the 28th of June.

For further details on Maroondah’s Draft 2010-2011 Draft Budget please visit www.maroondah.vic.gov.au.

Media Release: Proposed Budget and Council Plan on public exhibition

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Maroondah City Council has released its proposed Budget for the 2010-2011 financial year. It underpins the released 2010-2014 proposed Council Plan, which is the blueprint Council follows to achieve the community’s vision as set out in Maroondah 2025 – A Community Planning Together.

Mayor of Maroondah, Councillor Alex Makin said both documents would go on public exhibition to provide the community with the opportunity to offer any feedback or forward written submissions.

“The proposed Budget outlines the provision of financial resources for the next 12 months, and details how these resources will be applied to delivering the many services Council provides to the community,” said Cr Makin.

“In determining the level of rate income, Council carefully considers all sources of non-rate income, such as government grants and fees and charges; what capital works and services are required throughout the year; and the long-term vision, aspirations and needs of the community,” said Cr Makin.

As in previous years, Council ensures financial sustainability in accordance with its rolling 10 year long term financial strategy. Council has always kept its rate income at the lower end of local government when compared with other like Victorian Councils, however the result of this approach has meant that Council operations would not come into surplus until the 2015/16 financial year.

“The 2010/11 budget provides that this operational surplus will now be brought forward to the 2012/13 financial year (three years earlier) and will require an associated comprehensive review of operations to ensure Council maintains its high community satisfaction scores as well as streamlining efficiencies,” said Cr Makin.

The Budget is based on a proposed general rate and charges increase of 9.8 per cent. This increase balances a range of community enhancements (2.5%), annual Infrastructure Levy (2.5%) with CPI increases of 3 percent. It also takes into account funding for the new landmark Regional Aquatic and Leisure Centre (1.1%) to be built at the current Ringwood Aquatic Centre site, as well as funding the State Government imposed Landfill Levy increase (0.7%).

For the average ratepayer living in a median priced house in Maroondah this represents a $98.10 increase in annual rates and charges, or $1.88 extra per week.

“The community enhancements identified in this year’s Budget include an additional $126,000 in funding for libraries, $150,000 for fire hazard reduction in our bush reserves, an additional $250,000 to ensure powerline clearance of trees throughout Maroondah and $445,000 to fund ongoing maintenance for new capital works completed in recent years,” said Cr Makin.

“We are also putting $50,000 towards developing a Heathmont Structure Plan which will identify and plan for residential and community needs around this transport hub and local shopping precinct,” said Cr Makin.

“Council is also managing the impact of a 233 (two hundred and thirty three) per cent increase in the State Government Landfill Levy, an increase of $400,000 for 2010/11, resulting in a total cost of $570,000 per annum,” said Cr Makin.

“Council’s established policy is to fully recover all waste and recycling costs through the application of a Garbage Charge, which this year will see an increase to offset the increased costs of the State Government Landfill Levy,” said Cr Makin.

The new garbage charges will be $204 – based on a 120 litre bin (an $11 increase on last year) and $172 – based on an 80 litre bin (a $9 increase on last year).

Council introduced a Municipal Charge in 2004-2005 which is equal to the amount of the contribution it is required to pay to the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board (MFESB). This is designed to add transparency to the rating structure and to emphasise the impact of costs to Council over which it has no control.

For 2010-11 the total MFESB cost to Council has stabilised at $905,880. Given the increased number of property assessments since last year, the amount proposed per property will reduce slightly from $20.15 last year to $19.90 for this coming financial year.

“Council has prepared a very responsible Budget which maintains our services to our community, and also takes into account a number of major external costs and reductions in funding from both the State and Federal Governments,” said Cr Makin.

“It also ensures that we are not only maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure, but that we are taking into account future needs of the community and providing the facilities to meet these. The new Regional Aquatic and Leisure Centre in Ringwood will be a landmark project for the Maroondah community, providing a state of the art aquatic and leisure facility that will meet the growing demand into the future,” said Cr Makin.

“As always, our ongoing challenge is to balance the needs of our community, maintain the quality and level of our services and manage the ever increasing costs that Council must incorporate,” said Cr Makin.

The Maroondah community are invited to view the proposed Budget and Council Plan at Council’s Service Centres, Ringwood and Croydon Libraries and Council’s website at www.maroondah.com.au.

Submissions for the proposed Budget and proposed Council Plan will be received at the Maroondah City Council Offices, Braeside Avenue, Ringwood until 5pm on Friday 14 June 2010.

The community consultation process will continue at a meeting to hear and consider any submissions on both documents at 7pm on Wednesday 23 June 2010 at Maroondah City Council Offices, Braeside Avenue, Ringwood.

At a Special Council Meeting on Monday 28 June, Council will adopt the Budget and Council Plan, which may include any recommendations raised as a result of the submissions.

During the public consultation period (15 May to 14 June 2010) residents and property owners may obtain further information by appointment.

For queries about the Council Budget please contact Council’s Financial Services Unit on 9298 4323 and about the proposed Council Plan contact Council’s Planning and Performance Advisor on 9294 5588. Alternatively, please visit www.maroondah.vic.gov.au/ProposedBudget2010.aspx

Media Release: Gaming machines a blight on Maroondah

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Responsible Gambling Week will be marked throughout Australia and Maroondah from 17 to 23 May in an effort to build resilience to problem gambling and educate community members at risk of developing a gambling problem.

Mayor of Maroondah, Cr Alex Makin, said it was extremely disappointing that Maroondah now bore the distinction of hosting the highest density of gaming machines in metropolitan Melbourne.

“In recent figures released by the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation, Maroondah ranked ahead of both Greater Dandenong and Maribyrnong with 9.52 gaming machines per 1000 adults,” Cr Makin said.

“This is extremely disappointing and is something Council would like to see reversed,” Cr Makin said.

“While poker machine density has been trending downward in both metropolitan Melbourne (down 8.3 per cent from 2007 to 2009) and Victoria (down 5.9 per cent from 2007 to 2009), the trend in Maroondah has grown at a rate of 2.7 per cent between 2007 and 2009,” Cr Makin said.

“In fact, gaming expenditure in Maroondah topped $68.4 million in 2008-09, dwarfing the $42.4 million of municipal rates and charges raised that year,” Cr Makin said.

“Council advocates strongly against any new applications for poker machines in Maroondah and surrounding municipalities,” Cr Makin said.

“Recent cases have included Council submissions objecting to an additional 10 poker machines being installed at Wantirna Club (City of Knox) and to the inclusion of 70 machines at a new venue opposite Chirnside Park Shopping Centre (Shire of Yarra Ranges),” Cr Makin said.

“While Council recognises that not all gamblers in Maroondah are deemed ‘problem gamblers’, it’s important to stress that moderation is the key to keeping gambling under control,” Cr Makin said.

“It is vital that we, as a community, speak with one voice against a further proliferation of gaming machines in Maroondah, and the subsequent gambling expenditure that would result,” Cr Makin said.

“Council will maintain its stance and continue to strongly advocate for less gaming machines in Maroondah and surrounding municipalities over the coming years,” Cr Makin said.

Council has developed a Gaming Policy which sets out its position on electronic gaming in Maroondah, with a focus on problem gambling and the location and operation of poker machines. For information detailing Council’s stance on gaming in Maroondah, visit www.maroondah.vic.gov.au/Gambling.aspx.  For the latest Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation figures and news please visit www.vcgr.vic.gov.au

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Maroondah Leader: Our jaw dropping wait list

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Eastern Access Community Health (EACH) is a community based health provider, that delivers a range of wellbeing and health services for the community, including assistance for problem gamblers, counselling, support for people with disabilities and dental services.  EACH currently provides three dental chairs and the organisation has repeatedly stated the case for additional chairs to reduce waiting lists through submissions to the State Government.

The State Government released its budget last week, which excluded funding for additional community based dental facilities for Eastern Access Community Health.  The Maroondah Leader has reported on the ongoing need for community based dental services:

Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said the council supported any increase in dental chairs.  “There is a crying need and this has to be addressed,” Cr Makin said,

Waiting lists for community based dental services has remained at 23 months over the past several years and there is a need clear for investment in improved services.  Maroondah City Council supports the increase in dental chairs to improve the health and wellbeing our community.

Special Meeting of Council – Council Budget

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In accordance with Section 65 of the Local Government Act 1989, a Special Meeting of Council has been called to formally consider the 2010-2014 Council Plan and the 2010/2011 Budget.

The Special Meeting of Council is required to place the proposed Council Plan and Budget on public exhibition to enable the community to formally comment on these proposals.  A  submissions panel, which includes Cr. Nora Lamont, Cr. Rob Steane and myself will be convened on Wednesday the 23rd of June to formally consider any submissions received during this process.

A second Special Meeting of Council will be held on Monday the 28th of June at 7.30 pm to formally consider any recommendations from the committee and the finalised Council Plan and Budget.

While there are a number of challenges over the course of this year, the City of Maroondah’s Council Plan and Budget aims to strengthen the capacity of the Council so that we can meet the growing and diverse needs of our community.

I encourage the community to read through these documents and to attend these meetings.

Maroondah Leader: bus routes upgrade on agenda

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The State Government has finally released the Knox/Maroondah and Yarra Ranges bus review, which covered a total of 57 bus routes, serving a population of almost half a million people.

The review includes a number of short-term initiatives, including more frequent services for route 670, which will also be extended to Swinburne University in Lilydale.  This bus route, which is one of Maroondah’s highest patronised services, runs along the Maroondah Highway, serving Ringwood, Croydon, Chirnside Park and Lilydale.

The Maroondah Leader has followed up on the release of the review and what it means for the City of Maroondah:

Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said the improvements were positive, but new services were needed “sooner than later” to plug gaps along Canterbury Road and Mount Dandenong Road.

“We welcome the extension of route 670 along Maroondah Highway, which is long overdue,” he said.

“But the lack of a timeframe on the other projects is a concern.”

While these short-term improvements are welcomed, there is concern over the lack of timeframes for the longer-term initiatives, many of which will improve availability of bus services to residents in Maroondah.

The City of Maroondah issued a submission as part of the consultation into the bus service reviews, recommending frequency and operating span improvements. In addition Maroondah’s submission suggested  new services along Canterbury Road connecting the Maroondah Indoor Sports Stadium and providing a service between Ringwood and Box Hill, as well as a new route running direct along Mount Dandenong Road from Ringwood to provide an accessible service to Karralyka, the Maroondah Civic Centre and Maroondah Hospital.

While these new bus routes were included as recommendations within the review, a timeframe for their implementation has not been provided.  It is imperative that the State Government commit to the implementation of the bus service reviews to provide accessible and frequently available public transport within Maroondah.

Media Release: Council opposes proposed planning changes

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Maroondah City Council will write to the Planning Minister and the Local Government Minister to express its serious concern with proposed changes to the Planning and Environment Act (the Act).

Mayor of Maroondah, Cr Alex Makin, said while the changes contained a number of minor administrative improvements, it was worrying that they also proposed a significant reduction in the role and power of councils in local planning issues.

Cr Makin said proposed changes to the Act would further centralise planning powers with the Planning Minister.

“The change that would allow the Planning Minister to appoint a private individual or developers to amend local planning schemes will disenfranchise local communities and signifies a move towards the partial privatisation of the planning system,” Cr Makin said.

“The centralisation of planning powers with the Planning Minister, coupled with several changes to fees, further reduces the position of local government in the planning process,” Cr Makin said.

“The significant increase of the involvement of the State Government in local planning matters facilitated by these changes will undermine community and broader industry confidence in the planning system as the decision-making system becomes potentially more political and uncertain,” Cr Makin said.

Council will outline its serious concerns in its submission to the Planning Minister and Local Government Minister – including the timing of the consultation process for the Planning and Environment Act Reform Bill (held over the Christmas and New Year period).

Council will also express its serious concern that the role of local government as the primary decision maker in local planning matters in Victoria is being continually reduced, and will contact local members of parliament to express Council’s concerns with the changes proposed in the review.

The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has taken a similar stance, with its President Cr Bill McArthur stating that “the erosion of council roles in the planning system means less community input to the decision making process.”

“People are passionate about protecting the character of their neighbourhoods. It’s disappointing that the reforms seek to undermine the important role of councils and existing local planning policies that have taken significant time, cost and care to develop with input from the local community and the State Government,” Cr McArthur said.

The MAV has made a submission on the proposed changes to the Planning and Environment Act, outlining its concerns including the significant proposed changes to councils’ role as planning authority, loss of provisions useful to applicants (such as secondary consents), and the Planning Minister potentially authorising any person to prepare a planning scheme amendment.

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Media Release: Council pushes for conflict of interest law amendments

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Maroondah City Council on Monday night endorsed a submission to the State Government identifying issues with the Local Government Act’s conflict of interest provisions.

Mayor of Maroondah, Cr Alex Makin, said the submission highlighted Council’s concerns with elements of the provisions, which were established by the State Government in 2008.

“Maroondah City Council has a long-standing and ongoing commitment to serving the community with the highest levels of leadership, with associated standards of good governance and behaviours,” Cr Makin said.

“Conflict of interest laws are an important element of open and transparent governance and are welcomed by Council,” Cr Makin said. “As councillors, we would like the community to know we will always be acting on their behalf and in their best interest – conflict of interest laws are one way of achieving that.”

“However, the provisions set out by the State Government have caused much concern not only at the City of Maroondah, but across the Victorian local government sector,” Cr Makin said.

“Council’s submission on the State Government’s conflict of interest provisions reflects two key concerns – that the exclusion from debate of Councillors with an indirect interest in an agenda item may lead to important information being excluded from that debate; and that an increase in the complexity of the provisions warrants the establishment of a central resource, funded by the State Government, be available to councillors to seek advice on possible conflicts,” Cr Makin said.

“In relation to the first concern, Council strongly believes that councillors should be able to participate within debate on an issue even if they have an indirect interest. Currently, councillors are required to leave the room for both debate and the vote on such matters – previously, they could participate in debate and left only for the vote,” Cr Makin said.

“This would ensure that full information on the issue is available to Council as the councillor with the indirect interest frequently has the most amount of information on an issue,” Cr Makin said. “Secondly, Council is calling for the establishment of a central resource, funded by the State Government, for councillors to seek advice on possible conflicts.”

“Currently, the onus is on councillors to seek their own advice. Given the increasing scrutiny being placed on conflict of interest, and the associated increased complexity, the provision of such a service would be a reasonable step,” Cr Makin said.

Council’s submission was prepared in response to the State Government’s release of a discussion paper on the operational issues relating to conflict of interest provisions detailed under the Local Government Act.