GUEST SPEAKER Andrew Paxton - Murrindindi Shire Council
Andrew is manager of Community Development and responsible for things like planning, building health, disaster recovery funding and economic development and tourism.
He illustrated a few facts eg combined annual income for the shire is
$23.7 million and our spend $18.4 million. We will be hit by the need for huge asset renewal in 2031 and beyond and there’s a very big difference across Victoria as to the rates paid and the government grants received.
Our road safety record is not good. Accidents to 2019 were the highest in Victoria and in the last financial year 314 requests were received to seal roads including potholes. The cost per square metre is $165. The shire is allowed to build roads back to original standards prior to floods, but if a pothole was there, they are only required to fill it. This does not apply to places like the Yea Wetlands which are considered non-essential.
This is an ageing population and Murrindindi‘s over 65 soars above the rest of Victoria. One way to do this is to make education available in our shire so that our youth don’t leave and get caught up in the city life.
Flood recovery funds can be used to build roads back to original standards, so if a pothole existed before, it can only be filled in.
3 MINUTER Julie Lynch - Julie spoke about Cycle Dindi which started in 2016 with 50 participants, saw the introduction of a couple of innovations like Devon-shire tea at Nutfield and grew to 160 people last year. The entry price has gone up this year and a raffle has been introduced. Our sponsored riders will be Kayla and Fabio.
GUEST