Loddon Shire Mayoral Column 25 May

Published on 25 May 2021

Council signs onto VECO

Loddon Shire is one of 46 Victorian Councils to sign on to VECO, the Victorian Energy Collaboration, the largest ever emissions reduction project by local government in Australia.

VECO, led by Darebin City Council in Melbourne’s north, will provide 45 per cent of all Victorian councils’ electricity requirements with 100 per cent renewables, reducing greenhouse emissions by 260,000 tonnes of C02-e every year.

Provided by Red Energy, the 240GWh of clean power is equivalent to powering 48,000 homes with renewables or removing the emissions from 90,000 cars every year.

The ground-breaking project will reduce each of the councils’ current energy bills and reduce electricity prices by using clean renewable energy generated in Victoria.

Loddon Shire broadband survey closing soon

A survey regarding fixed broadband internet speeds and mobile phone network coverage in Loddon Shire is open until this Friday 28 May.

Council is asking as many members of the community as possible to fill out the survey. This will help Council identify where to focus its efforts in advocating for better connectivity, particularly where government funding requires such data.

The survey is available here.

Hard copies of the survey are also available by calling Council on 5494 1200 or visiting the Wedderburn office.

Kindergarten information sessions

If you have a child turning three or four years old in 2022, you’re encouraged to come along to a 2022 Kindergarten Information Session, being run by Loddon Cluster Kindergartens.

The information sessions are an opportunity for parents and families to learn more about the kindergarten program, meet the education team and find out how to enrol your child in kindergarten.

The first session will be held at Pyramid Hill Preschool on Wednesday 9 June at 7.30pm.

Information sessions will then be held on Monday 21 June at 9.30am at Inglewood Kindergarten, and 2.30pm at Dingee Preschool.

Boort Preschool will hold an information session on Tuesday 22 June at 7.30pm, while Wedderburn Kinder will hold an information session on Thursday 24 June at 2.30pm.

For more information regarding the information sessions, call Council’s Early Years Team on (03) 5494 1201.

Small Business Bus coming to Inglewood

The Victorian Government’s Small Business Bus will be in Inglewood on Monday 7 June.

The bus will be located outside the Inglewood Community Hub at the corner of Market and Vernon streets from 10am to 4pm. Walk-ups are welcome, so there’s no need to book ahead for an appointment.

The Victorian Government’s Small Business Bus showcases local small business capability and practical advice for free. Whether you're planning, starting or growing your business, the Small Business Bus can help you.

Visit the Bus Concierge at Inglewood on the day and collect your Planning and Starting a Business booklet, exclusively available on the Small Business Bus.

For more information or questions about the Small Business Bus, call Business Victoria on 13 22 15.

Webinar: ACCC inquiry into water markets – a Victorian irrigation perspective

Agriculture Victoria will host the next of its irrigation webinar series this Friday 28 May from 1pm to 2pm.

The webinar will focus on key findings of the recent Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) inquiry into Murray-Darling Basin water markets, with an emphasis on the implications of the findings for Victorian irrigators.

Feedback for key finance documents closes this week

A reminder that Council’s 2021/22 Draft Budget, Draft Schedule of Fees and Charges, and Revenue and Rating Plan is out for community feedback until this Friday 28 May.

Copies of the Draft Budget, Draft Schedule of Fees and Charges, and Draft Revenue and Rating Plan are available on Council’s website.

Copies are also available for inspection at Council’s Wedderburn office during business hours or can be posted out on request by calling Council’s Customer Service on (03) 5494 1200.

Council will meet to consider any feedback to the Draft Budget, Draft Schedule of Fees and Charges, and Draft Revenue and Rating Plan at the Council Forum on Tuesday 8 June 2021. It will then consider adoption of these key documents at the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Tuesday 22 June 2021 and give public notice of its decision.

National Volunteer Week in Loddon Shire

Last week Council celebrated National Volunteer Week to thank all those in our community who give so much of their time, passion and energy to make Loddon Shire a great place to live, work and play.

As part of National Volunteer Week, Council organised workshops for our Community Asset Committees. These workshops and future events provide information to assist our volunteers with training and information so that they have the skills and support to enjoy their activities.

Council is also working with schools in the region to connect students with volunteering opportunities in the community.

As part of National Volunteer Week, I took the opportunity to unveil Council’s new Volunteer Handbook, which is designed to help volunteers understand their roles and responsibilities when volunteering in Loddon Shire Council.

All our Community Asset Committees will be sent copies of the Volunteer Handbook. If you’d like one sent to you, please contact Council on (03) 5494 1200.

It was also an honour to hand out certificates to our Loddon Visitor Information Centre volunteers, as part of the centre’s Volunteer Familiarisation Tour last Tuesday.

The certificates were presented during a morning tea at the Spanner Sculpture Gardens in Boort.

Volunteers also toured (and enjoyed tastings) at the Simply Tomatoes and Country Wool Bedding new shopfront in Boort, viewed sculptures at Little Lake Boort, toured the Pyramid Hill township (with lunch at the Pyramid Hill Victoria Hotel) and the East Loddon Woolshed.

If you would like more information about volunteering in Loddon Shire, visit Council's website.