Hepburn Shire’s Councillor Don Henderson has been elected mayor with Councillor Lesley Hewitt elected as deputy mayor for the first year of the new four-year council term.

Cr Henderson said he was extremely proud to lead and have the support of the new councillor group.

“It is an honour to take on this role and I feel privileged to represent the community of Hepburn Shire,” Cr Henderson said.

Cr Henderson has been on council since 2008. He has worked as a self-employed construction contractor and safety and industrial relations consultant.

He has been advisor to the Australian Workers Union and the Victorian Building Industry Board and president of the Ballarat Trades and Labour Council.

The new Hepburn Shire mayor has also held a role with the inaugural steering committee of National Women in Construction, was the secretary of the Building Workers Industrial Union and has served as a board member and director on company and industry boards and the Homeless Building Trust.

Cr Henderson was born and raised on the Creswick goldfields and has also served as mayor from 2013 to 2014 and again in 2018 to 2019, and deputy mayor from 2012 to 2013.

Councillor Lesley Hewitt, elected as deputy mayor, also for a one-year term, is a retired social worker who has worked in sexual assault and child protection front line services and policy development.

Cr Hewitt was Hepburn Shire Council mayor from 2020 to 2021 and deputy mayor from November 2022 to November 2023.

“I look forward to supporting Councillor Don Henderson in the mayoral role and continuing to support the community in our new unsubdivided council structure,” Cr Hewitt said,

Hepburn Shire CEO Bradley Thomas said he was pleased to have an experienced team leading the first year of the new council term.

“Cr Don Henderson and Cr Lesley Hewitt bring experience and leadership to the roles and I look forward to working closely with them as we move forward with some key projects, including the development of an updated community vision and council plan,” Mr Thomas said.

“I would like to acknowledge Cr Brian Hood for his work and dedication as mayor over the last two years of the previous council term.”

The Hepburn Shire Council’s partnership with Daylesford College, Central Highlands Rural Health and the team at Youth Live4Life has reached its six-month milestone on a youth mental health and suicide prevention program.  

Hepburn Shire Council CEO Bradley Thomas said he was proud to be partnering with Daylesford College and CHRH on the Youth Live4Life program which is tailored to regional communities.  

“The program is already having a positive impact on our young people, and we are seeing an increase in referrals,” Mr Thomas said.

“It is comforting to know that our young people are having more conversations about mental health and peer support.”

During a recent consultation with young people, 59 per cent indicated that mental health is an important issue in our community.

The council made a commitment in the ACE Youth Strategy to focus on mental health and as part of this commitment it partnered with Daylesford College on the Live4Life program. 

“Council will continue to run two free youth mental health sessions per year for community members who are working with or supporting young people in Hepburn Shire,” Mr Thomas said. 

“It is greatly empowering for our young people to have a program like Live4Life which enables them to step up into local leadership positions.

“We are also looking forward to launching nominations for the Young Mayors Youth Council in 2025.

“We encourage anyone who is passionate about these types of issues impacting young people to chat with our youth team.”

The council plans to continue the partnership program into the future and hopes to see some positive outcomes for the young people in our community. 

This story based on a Hepburn Shire Council media release. Image: Supplied.

Hepburn Shire Council has formally welcomed its new councillors as they were sworn in earlier this afternoon.

Don Henderson, Brian Hood, Lesley Hewitt, Tony Clark, Tim Drylie, Pat Hockey and Shirley Cornish were sworn in as councillors during an event in Daylesford, attended by Hepburn Shire Council CEO, Bradley Thomas, friends and family, and council staff.

Over the next couple of months the councillors – four of whom have previously served in the role of councillor for Hepburn, and three newcomers to the role – will be taken through the induction program.

They will meet to elect a mayor and deputy mayor on November 26 with the community welcome to attend this meeting at the council chamber in Daylesford’s Vincent Street from 5:30pm.

The meeting will also be live streamed via the council’s Facebook page.

Results in the local government election for Hepburn Shire Council have been provisionally announced this afternoon.

They see previously-serving councillors Don Henderson, Brian Hood, Lesley Hewitt and Tim Drylie returning, with newcomers Tony Clark, Pat Hockey and Shirley Cornish also across the line.

The declaration of the outcome is scheduled for 4.30 pm at 24 Vincent Street in Daylesford tomorrow (Friday 8^th November 2024).

The Victorian Electoral Commission has issued the following statement:

After a computer count the following candidates are successful. They will be declared elected in the coming days.

The successful candidates are Don Henderson (first successful), Brian Hood (second successful), Lesley Hewitt (third Successful), Tony Clark (fourth successful), Tim Drylie (fifth successful), Pat Hockey (sixth successful), Shirley Cornish (seventh successful)

Further information is available on the Victorian Electoral Commission website.

https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/voting/2024-local-council-elections/hepburn-shire-council/results

Counting continues in the Hepburn Shire local government election.  

Twelve candidates put their hands up for seven vacancies. In the order they  appeared on the ballot they are: Don Henderson, Tony Clark, Christian Porochowsky,  Tim Drylie, Derek Sedgman, Benny Pettersson, Brian Hood, Cameron Stone, Pat  Hockey, Lesley Hewitt, Shirley Cornish and Bernie Winfield-Gray.  

Of the 12 candidates, four are former councillors.  

Following a review in 2023, the Minister for Local Government announced a new  electoral structure for Hepburn Shire.

The changes see the shire move from five wards  with seven councillors, to no wards with seven councillors. Voters were able to vote for  any candidate, regardless of where they or the candidate live in the municipality.  

From the Victorian Electoral Commission website:  

Voting in the Hepburn Shire Council election has now closed. We will publish results as they are finalised during the count period.  All results will be declared by November 15.  

In local council elections, we can’t guarantee exactly when results will be available. This is because each election is slightly different.

The things that can affect the  counting timeline include: the number of vacancies; if it is counted by hand or by  computer; how many people are enrolled in the council; and how many candidates there are in each ward.  

Provisional results for all councils will be published on this website between November 6 and 12.

Didn’t vote?  If you were enrolled in this election and it looks like you did not vote, we may send you an ‘Apparent failure to vote’ notice in the coming months. This is your  chance to explain what happened if you did not vote. Please respond to this notice, otherwise you might receive a fine.  

Ed’s note: In the October 7 edition I said I thought I knew how the election  would play out. So, with voting over, here are my picks in no particular order  and not necessarily my votes. I reckon those in will be former councillors  Don Henderson, Tim Drylie, Brian Hood and Lesley Hewitt, and newcomers Bernie Winfield-Gray, Benny Pettersson and Cameron Stone. Hmmm.  

The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) is reminding voters in Hepburn Shire Council that they have until 6 pm on Friday 25 October to vote in the Hepburn Shire Council election.

‘You need to post your completed ballot pack before 6 pm on Friday 25 October, noting local clearance times may vary,’ Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel said.

‘You can also drop your ballot pack off at the election office located at 79A Raglan Street, Daylesford before 6 pm on Friday 25 October.’

Any voter who still hasn’t received their ballot pack by Tuesday 15 October should go to vec.vic.gov.au to complete an online replacement ballot pack form.

Extended hours for voters to hand deliver their completed ballot pack apply from 9 am to 8 pm on Thursday 24 October and 9 am to 6 pm on Friday 25 October.

Voting is compulsory for voters who were on the state or council roll for this election at 4 pm on Wednesday 7 August. Enrolled voters who don’t vote may be fined.

By Donna Kelly  

Let the games begin.  So, 12 candidates are vying for seven spots for the new Hepburn Shire Council.  The wards have been done away with and really, it seems a bit of a no-brainer as to  who will get in.

I won’t say that here but I will put the names I believe will get up in an envelope,  seal it and then open it after the votes have been counted. I reckon I will be pretty  spot on. I’ll let you know.  

The candidates include four former councillors for the shire, one former councillor for another shire, two business owners, a couple in the ALP and a couple  who didn’t worry about filling in a candidate form for the Victorian Electoral  Commission – which I do find a bit strange but each to their own.  

And the keyboard warriors are already busy at work with all sorts of rumours doing the rounds. Or maybe not rumours. There are some interesting Google  searches to be had if you have nothing else happening.  

It comes on top of the collapse of the final Hepburn Shire Council meeting for the year – with three councillors walking out on a confidential planning matter –  meaning there was no quorum and the final agenda item for the meeting ended with  no vote.  Strange way to end the year.

I have spoken to a few people and had some of the oddest conversations all about transparency and yet not actually being able to talk  about what happened.  

It is probably just as well it happened at the final meeting; some of the councillors  are not very happy with each other. Although I hear that might have been a bit of a  trend for 2024.

Those who stayed said they were doing their job while some of those who left said they were doing their best by walking away.  

Kind of reminds me of the Local Government Inspectorate report into the  council and The Rex. Like how the Inspectorate says it is “an independent agency  responsible for making sure Victorian councils follow the Local Government Act”  and then says, after a five-year investigation, there is nothing to see here. WTAF!  

Blind Freddie can see there is plenty to see. Well, maybe quite a few million  dollars not to be seen, but then there are the Bleakley Street apartments which are  looking very bleak indeed. I wonder if the council will lose yet more money there, say if someone decides they were led astray with their building permit on a pretty dodgy piece of land.  

Anyway, the games continue. Hepburn Shire Council has always been interesting.  I have covered the council for 11 years with The Local and another year or so with the  former Fairfax news company.  

I remember the Ned Kelly incident – nicely handled by Heather Mutimer – and  the coffin. Ahh, the fun we had.

Further back in my life I covered the Frankston City Council and that was also fun. Councillors calling other councillors fat, the moccasin jokes, a former CEO who said he was going to “get that bitch” – me. Good times.  

And then I also worked at Kingston City Council. Not so much fun being on the  inside. We used to have weekly meetings with journos and the mayor, and offer free cake and coffee. The journos loved that and forgot to ask the right questions.

Did you know Kingston had the last shit cart dunny? No, because no-one ever asked. What a  great story that could have been.  I guess the only thing all councils have in common is that now and again shit  happens. Just sayin’…  

The final meeting of the Hepburn Shire Council for 2024 went awry as three councillors left before a vote could be held on the final agenda item, a confidential planning matter.

With the three councillors gone, and only three remaining – with the resignation of Juliet Simpson earlier this year – a quorum was no longer met.

Those who left were councillors Tessa Halliday, Tim Drylie and it is believed Jen Bray. Ms Bray said as the matter was confidential she could not comment on it.

Those who remained were councillors Brian Hood, Don Henderson and Lesley Hewitt. Council CEO Bradley Thomas said four councillors were needed to meet a quorum so the meeting finished with the matter not voted upon.

It had however already gone before council with a decision made earlier this year. That decision was then upheld by Mr Thomas. Mr Thomas said it was not completely unusual for councillors to walk out of meetings but they were usually meetings open to the public and done to make a stand on an issue.

“This one is a bit weird because it was in the confidential section of the meeting so it is difficult for people to know what that stand was. But it is not illegal, councillors have the right to be in the room for whatever items they want to vote for.

“In this case three councillors decided for their own personal reasons that they didn’t want to vote on the matter so they left the meeting.”

Mr Thomas said the planning item had a previous decision so it would not return to council.

“From our point of view the matter is now closed and we have moved on and done what we needed to do with the planning permits.

“There are different personal thoughts on whether councillors should leave a meeting but there is nothing to stop them or force them to be in a meeting, that is the process we have.”

Mr Thomas said the issue had come back to council because “extra information had come to hand” and he made the decision to put it back on the agenda for the council to vote again with that added detail.

“Ultimately they didn’t make a decision because there were not enough (councillors) in the room and I have gone with the original decision.”

Tim Drylie, one of those who left the meeting, said he understood there was some community concern about councillors walking out without making decisions, calling it “somewhat extraordinary”.

“I am happy to go on the record, but as it was a confidential matter there is not a lot I can actually say, and I can only speak for myself.

“I am certainly standing on the platform of transparency and accountability in local government. It just makes it difficult to discuss the reasons behind it but fundamentally for me, it was a complex decision which involved ethical and legal issues around what was appropriate in that instance.

“It was not just a matter of walking out, it was a more complex situation. In this instance it was about accountability and transparency around that particular matter and also noting the CEO has stated it has not affected the overall situation in the broader scheme of things.

“It is certainly not a decision I took lightly and certainly not something councillors consider as a normal part of doing business – we are very respectful and understand the gravity of our position and the importance of governance and behaviours.”

Mr Drylie said it was not something that had been planned but rather “thought through on the day”.

“It was based on the evidence that was before us and I made up my own independent mind on that.”

Tessa Halliday, who also left the meeting, said she did not believe the council should have been voting on the issue which already had a decision in play and unresolved outstanding legal issues.

“It would not have been fair to the applicant, they have done nothing wrong.”

Words: Donna Kelly

All Hepburn Shire residents aged over 55 are being invited to get along to the free positive ageing expo taking place at the Forest Resort at Creswick this Thursday October 10.

The Hepburn shire Council’s Positive Ageing Expo is a free event, with free catering and promises to be informative and fun with guest speakers, stalls and some public announcements.

 Organisers say the expo will be a great way for people over 55, community groups and service providers to connect with each other. 

The theme of this year’s expo is ‘Explore, Engage, Evolve’ and attendees can expect to wise-up about means to achieving positive ageing through guest speakers, information displays, networking opportunities and a wide range of local groups, service providers and demonstrations.

Bookings to the free event can be made by contacting the council and online at https://ow.ly/qsg150TrrKR

Three local councillors walked out of the regular Hepburn Council meeting on September 16, effectively preventing a decision being made on a confidential planning matter, just prior to the council entering caretaker mode.

The meeting, the last for the current council prior to this month’s council elections, was closed to the public at 9:10 pm for councillors to consider the planning matter.

However, minutes of the meeting show that the meeting was abandoned at 9:21 pm due to a failure to make a quorum as required for the vote to proceed.

With the current six councillors – following the July resignation of Councillor Juliet Simpson due to personal reasons – the required quorum was four councillors, indicating that at least three councillors left the meeting.

Hepburn Shire CEO Bradley Thomas has subsequently publicly confirmed that the abandonment will not cause any planning delays or trigger an application to VCAT.

A total 12 candidates have nominated in Hepburn Shire and will vye for the seven councillor vacancies in next month’s local government elections.

The 12 confirmed nominees are vying for the seven available councillor vacancies to represent what, under the new arrangement, will be an un-subdivided or wardless shire.

Nominations ahead of next month’s postal ballot closed last Tuesday with the council now in caretaker mode through to October 26.

The Victorian Electoral Commission last Wednesday published a list of the candidates in the order they will appear on the ballot in the upcoming postal vote.

They are: Don Henderson, Tony Clark, Christian Porochowsky, Tim Drylie, Derek Sedgman, Benny Pettersson, Brian Hood, Cameron Stone, Pat Hockey, Lesley Hewitt, Shirley Cornish and Bernie Winfield-Gray.

The Daylesford Community Facilities project team has been given the green light to develop designs to locate the library and community multipurpose facilities at the Daylesford Town Hall site, ahead of proposed community engagement.

Hepburn Shire Council Chief Executive Officer, Bradley Thomas said the decision provides a clear path forward for the historic site.

“The Daylesford Town Hall is a key historical landmark for the shire and reflects the region’s unique architectural character,” Mr Thomas said.

“This decision allows the project team to move forward with certainty and begin to design a wholistic community space.”

Now that the site is confirmed for the project, further analysis will be undertaken to determine the preferred approach for design and construction.

Community consultation will be undertaken as the project progresses. Final decisions on designs and proceedings will be subject to Council decision in 2025.

A contract has been awarded to Abode for critical preservation works to the roof and other associated building elements on the heritage Daylesford Town Hall building.

The works are due to commence later this year in line with warmer weather.

In December 2023, the council resolved to progress the Daylesford Town Hall as the site of a future library and community facility.

Council officers have since established a project consultant team and a Project Advisory Group of seven community members, who have supported the project and provided design input.

In working with project architects k20 Architecture, two spatial relationship diagrams have been developed developed, demonstrating the site’s capacity to host the library and other elements either within the Town Hall, within a new construction on the site of the Senior Citizens facility, or a combination of the two approaches.

This story based on a Hepburn Shire Council media release.

By Donna Kelly

So the Local Government Inspectorate will not release any report into its five-year investigation of Hepburn Shire Council and The Rex Theatre development.

That’s pretty amazing. Imagine working on something for five years, using taxpayer money, and then deciding “nothing to see here”.

Or imagine working on something for five years, in a private company, and then telling shareholders “nothing to see here”. Wouldn’t pass the pub test. Or the shareholder test.

The Inspectorate issued a media release last Monday, September 2, which said there was insufficient evidence for any disciplinary breaches or criminal offences. It also said the Chief Municipal Officer was satisfied that the council had taken remedial action to avoid future complaints of a similar nature.

So, nothing to see here, but let’s not let it happen again. What the actual?

The release went on to say the Local Government Inspectorate is “the dedicated integrity agency for local government in Victoria”.

Good to know. Hepburn Shire Mayor Cr Brian Hood says it’s disappointing and the failure to issue a report into The Rex project denies transparency and accountability, and lets down the community, councillors and council officers.

The community is not that rapt either. To put it lightly. Social media went into overdrive with ratepayers left wondering where their rates had gone and who was accountable.

“So where is the explanation for the missing money?”

“Outrageous!”

“It’s astounding that after all this, millions wasted, project unfinished, massive debt accrued putting council at danger of existence, residents saddled with debt through increased rates…a whole host of negative and destructive outcomes to the shire and to the public…yet no finding of wrong doing, none worth publishing a report, none worth taking action, no criminal or unlawful activity found, not even incompetence, ‘misguided’ action with detrimental effects, incorrectly followed processes…nothing.

“Just a mysterious massive blunder that cannot be explained or has no accountability, no responsible decision makers who may have cause or contributed to the problem.”

“Unacceptable.”

“One wonders how much it’s cost for the LGI and the CMI to come to this conclusion! What a total f”!k up!”

“It’s like we need a Hepburn Shire ratepayers’ private investigation into where the $$$ went, we personally worked out we are all owed $500 each at the time of the blunder.”

“Unbelievable.”

“Speechless. All these years and we’re left with this. It’s as if we live in a totalitarian state. No one accountable. Shocking.”

“What a strange and flawed process where no one is ever held accountable! What a debacle and utter disgrace.”

And yet on we go. Millions lost, no-one accountable, no explanation and anyone who rocks the boat and releases the report – well, you wouldn’t want to be them.

The integrity agency has made that clear. Ask your local councillor about the report and you will probably hear: “What report?” No longer exists. Nothing to see here. Just sayin’…

A report examining the feasibility of housing Daylesford’s public library and community multipurpose facilities in the town’s historic Town Hall will go before councillors at this month’s Hepburn Shire Council meeting.

Scheduled for Monday September 16 the ordinary meeting is the last for the current council which then enters caretaker mode until October 26.

A new council will be elected by postal ballot next month with newly elected councillors set to then to be sworn in to what will become a wardless council, in November.

 While the new shift to a wardless arrangement is creating plenty of community discussion in its own right, the future of the Daylesford Town Hall is also set to change.

Currently council officers have been working with project architects, k20 Architecture, to investigate the feasibility of refurbishing and developing the historic site to accommodate a library and multi-purpose community spaces. 

The Daylesford Town Hall was built in the 1800s and until recently housed Council chambers, offices, and hosted events.

“The project team is supported by the Project Advisory Group (PAG), which is comprised of two councillors and seven community members,” Mayor, Cr Brian Hood said.

To date, the PAG have convened on four occasions to provide input into the design.

The PAG members bring to the project professional and special interest backgrounds, as well as connections to community, to shape the design that’s hoped to ultimately best meet community needs.

Besides outlining the feasibility of locating the library and community multipurpose facilities in the Town Hall, the report to go before councillors at Monday’s meeting will also seek endorsement to proceed with design work.  

Subject to the council’s endorsement, the project team will continue to develop the design to a schematic level ahead of proposed community engagement either late this year or early next year. 

“We are also examining the Town Hall’s essential roofing works and have a tender underway,” Cr Hood said.

“The Town hall is now closed as we undertake this essential work,” said Cr Hood. 

Staff that operate from the Town Hall and the council chambers have recently relocated to leased premises at 24 Vincent Street. 

Meanwhile, those keen to know more are being directed to go online at https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/daylesford-facilities 

As it grapples to gain financial sustainability, the Hepburn Shire Council has decided to apply to the Essential Services Commission for a 10 percent rate cap variation, including the applicable rate cap for the 2025/26 financial year.

Councillors endorsed the significant decision at their recent special financial vision meeting, just days before entering caretaker mode (September 17-October 26) ahead of next month’s council elections that will see a new council elected into the controversial new wardless council structure.

The newly adopted Financial Vision aspires to support the council’s obligations towards financial sustainability and outlines, for the next councillor group, the parameters for development of the Council Plan 2025-2029 and accompanying Financial Plan.

The council issued a statement confirming that it will begin the process of making an application to the Essential Services Commission, with the application required to be submitted between February 1 to March 31.

The ESC must then notify the council of their findings within two months of receipt of the application.

Mayor, Cr Brian Hood, said that for many years and especially throughout this term, the council has grappled with financial difficulties due to a sharp increase in costs of service delivery and construction, the small and dispersed population base, very limited range of additional revenue options, low-rate base and recovery from numerous costly natural disasters.

“Our Shire has been adversely impacted by rising inflation affecting the delivery of services and infrastructure, cost shifting from other levels of government, and extraordinary costs associated with the recovery from recent flooding and storm events,” Cr Hood said.

“As a rural council we have limited opportunities for alternate income streams, and the financial sustainability of all Councils is of concern to many.”

This year the council submitted to two major inquiries initiated by Federal and State governments to assess the financial sustainability and service delivery standards of local governments. These inquiries are expected to release findings in late 2024/early 2025.

In its 2024/25 budget, the council determined to implement reductions to operational budgets by $1.50 million, while seeking to minimise the impact on service delivery.

 The budget also identified that an annual cash shortfall of approximately $4 million is projected from 2025/26 onward.

Councillors and officers have conducted a number of workshops over the last 12 months to review available means to improving the council’s beleaguered “financial sustainability”. 

The council hosted an online survey inviting ratepayers, residents and visitors to provide feedback and share their priorities regarding service delivery, community infrastructure renewal or upgrades, and the potential for a rate increase – providing vital feedback to the input of the Financial Vision.

The community engagement identified that 61.6% of the community were open to a rate variation above the rate cap (at various percentages), and 38.44% of community were not open to a rate variation. 

“The difficult task facing councillors and staff over the last few months was to find $4 million in savings for the 2025/26 financial year, and ensuring they were permanent savings or increased revenue,” Cr Hood said.

“We considered many options, avoiding the need for additional borrowings. We have determined to generate $1.56 million of additional revenue from rates and $2.44 million from operational and service delivery savings.

“To ensure our financial sustainability, we have made the difficult decision to make an application to the Essential Services Commission for a rate cap variation of 10% including the applicable rate cap for the 2025/26 financial year.”

“We appreciate that this will not be a popular decision with all, and there will be concerns from many in the community about their ability to pay.

“To support some of the most vulnerable in our community, we will increase Council’s rebate to assist pensioners from $21 to $42. Ratepayers continue to have the ability to apply for special payment arrangements based on financial hardship.”

“The detail of the operational and service delivery changes earmarked to generate $2.44 million in savings will be determined over the coming months, as Council creates a Council Plan 2025-29,” Cr Hood said.

“We will continue to advocate to the State Government for a review of its funding of Local Government, along with the rating and revenue system in Victoria that leaves rural councils at a significant disadvantage,” said Cr Hood.

The full resolution adopted by the council can be found on its website.