November 14th, 2021MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

This month marks a year since the new Council was
sworn in. As you all know, it has been a tumultuous
year for all of us. Just to recap – we have lived
with the ongoing see-sawing of various lockdowns
with the impact on all of us – children’s schooling
disrupted, businesses restricted, events postponed
or cancelled and working from home the standard
way of operating. Then there was the June storm
impacting on 35% of the Shire’s footprint, responding
to that emergency and now the ongoing recovery phase. Then more
damage with the rain and wind this week. All in the context of Council
change – with 6 of 7 new Councillors elected and the resignation of the
then CEO in January, and the appointment of Bradley Thomas to the CEO
role. Throughout all of this Council has continued to provide it’s day to day
services – pretty impressive when you consider the requirements to work
from home unless providing essential services, and when the workload
for the storm recovery (with its estimated cost being a third of the Council
budget) has been added to that. I want to again publicly acknowledge and
thank all those Council staff who have stepped up and responded to the
storm emergency (it was our responsibility as part of the co-ordinated
response to run the Relief Centre in Trentham, as well as ensure that our
roads were cleared and safe) and then again in assisting with the popup vaccination centre at Victoria Park to respond to a COVID emergency.
That we were able to do so is evidence of both being well prepared and a
commitment to community.
Cup Weekend saw the return of visitors from metropolitan Melbourne, and
there was certainly a buzz in towns around the Shire. It was great to walk
around Lake Daylesford on Sunday evening and see our local young people
hanging out together on their bikes and swimming in the Lake. And seeing
several visiting families taking the chance to get together, picnic and even
brave the water. The return of visitors seems to have gone well and with
over 95% of residents having received at least one vaccination we have
all done our part in keeping our community safe. We need to continue to
follow the Chief Health Officer’s instructions in relation to mask wearing,
social distancing and requirements for vaccination before returning to
work locations, eating out, going to the pub and all the other things we
enjoy. We’re living with COVID now and need to continue to be mindful of
reducing our risk.
Some of the other achievements in the last year include the development
of a Community Engagement Policy, the adopting of the Community
Vision and Council Plan, the adoption of the C80hepb Planning Scheme
Amendment, the opening of a customer service desk at the Trentham
library, an organics bin trial at Clunes, distribution of free firewood to
residents, the opening of the refurbished Clunes Town Hall, and grants of
$8 million for projects across the Shire.
There will be a Statutory Council Meeting to elect the Mayor and Deputy
Mayor on 16 November at 6pm. COVID restrictions have meant that the
Mayoral role has been conducted virtually for most of the year. I expect
that with the Victorian COVID roadmap that will be different in the next
year and I want to take the opportunity to thank the community for their
support during the last year.
Cr Lesley Hewitt, MAYOR