At the 2006 National General Assembly in Canberra, we invited delegates to share their Council’s projects and initiatives to win a full page feature in FOCUS. This month we feature Wellington Shire Council, Victoria.
Large area requires innovation
Wellington Shire Council, in Eastern Victoria, prides itself on innovation in service delivery. From the Great Dividing Range and the Victorian High Country to the world renowned Gippsland Lakes and Ninety Mile Beach, Wellington Shire offers one of the widest choices of lifestyle anywhere in Victoria. This diverse and vast area also creates many challenges for Council.
“As a large Shire with a relatively small population, we are constantly looking for better ways to respond to the needs of our 30 plus geographical communities,” said Mayor of Wellington Shire Council, Councillor Beth Ripper. “As a Council, we have strong connections to our community. We have structured these connections to provide a direct input to Council operations through things like Community Representative and Access and Inclusion Groups. These links and the lateral thinking of Council staff have provided us with many innovative projects and programs.”
Putting the community back in community centre
The Rosedale Community Centre places a number of community services and organisations in one building, providing a vibrant community focus and a true multi use facility. The new $2.5 million Centre was officially opened in June 2006. It is home to the library, neighbourhood house, senior citizens, Central Gippsland Health Service Clinic and the Neighbourhood Kids Early Learning Centre.
Wellington’s Manager Community Strengthening, Glenys Butler, said colocating and working together provides great benefits to the groups involved.
“It means groups can share facilities such as meeting rooms, as well as gain better access to services,” she said. “For example, the children at day care have access to daily sessions at the library.”
The three levels of government and the Rosedale community came together to fund this project. The building needed to be innovative and well planned to cater for the varied needs of the different groups and community members.
“There was a massive amount of community involvement over a long period of time,” Glenys Butler said. “This ensured the building would meet the needs of all parties involved.”
The Centre also incorporates environmentally sensitive design principles to minimise energy consumption and reduce running costs for its user groups.
“This facility has been a very positive project for Council and for the Rosedale community,” Glenys Butler said.
Information 2 U
Thinking outside the square has assisted Wellington Shire Council to get messages to youth spread across an area 11,000 square kilometres. It is using SMS phone text to communicate safety messages, gather feedback and promote events to young people across the Shire.
Council was aware that traditional media often failed to reach the youth market. “We conducted a survey of youth living in Wellington Shire and found that SMS was clearly the preferred method of communication,” said Council’s Director Community and Development, Steven Dickson.
Council has found that SMS marketing used in conjunction with other forms of advertising has been very effective in keeping both young people and the general community, including their parents, informed.
Through this project, Council has collected names and phone numbers of young people by running competitions and providing forms at youth events. These numbers are then added to the SMS list and used to disseminate information.
With added support from Optus, Council will expand and integrate the SMS concept into greater communication with young people. Council specifically aims to link young people with Council decisions on issues such as skate parks, and Community Representative Groups as they undertake community planning in their local communities. “It is often the simple ideas that are the most effective” Steven Dickson said.
Sustainable and innovative irrigation project
Wellington Shire Council has installed an innovative and sustainable irrigation system, which uses stormwater on Sale’s botanic gardens and adjacent Stephensons Park sports grounds, an area of approximately 14.5 hectares. The carefully planned project has put Council in a good position to cope with the increasing impact of drought and subsequent tightening of water restrictions. The project is saving 45 megalitres of potable water, while reducing the draw down on the regional aquifer. It also provides significant savings in water costs, with water rates reduced by up to $60,000 per annum.
The system has further environmental benefits, as it reduces high nutrient stormwater that would otherwise be discharged into the renowned Gippsland Lakes.
The system uses water from Lake Guthridge, which is filled from stormwater. The lake covers 25 hectares and contains about 325 megalitres of water.
Level Three water restrictions, which are currently in place, have limited Council’s ability to water public reserves, so the system is a real boon, enabling the Botanic Gardens and Stephensons Park to be maintained.
Stephensons Park is a regional sporting facility, catering for cricket, tennis, croquets, football, baseball, softball, touch football, and hockey. The water means that these groups are able to continue enjoying their recreational pursuits.
Council brings agencies together to fight drought
Wellington Shire has felt the effects of the long standing drought, especially in the last year. In late 2006, the Shire formed the Wellington Drought Coordinating Committee to bring representatives from farming, welfare and government organisations together.
Committee Chair, Councillor Malcolm Hole, said the Committee was formed to provide a forum for the exchange of information on drought related activities and needs in Wellington Shire.
“There were lots of organisations, agencies and industry bodies working on drought issues within the Shire,” he said. “By working together, we are finding we have a much better outcome for our community.”
Since December, Wellington has had the additional challenge of the impact of bush fires. The fires burnt over 40 per cent of the Shire. The same cooperative framework established for the drought has also worked well in linking organisations providing recovery services following the fires.
The cost of both the drought and bushfires will have a significant impact on farmers, businesses and Council finances. Recovery efforts will continue throughout 2007.
“Sharing information and activities allows us to get full value from these efforts,” Councillor Hole said.
