Melton Councillors Agree to a 4.80% Rate Increase After Split Vote

Extract of Article by Ami Humpage of the Leader Community Newspaper

Year	Melton Rate Increases	CPI Increases
2010	5.90%	2.30%
2011	3.00%	3.30%
2012	4.50%	1.60%
2013	4.00%	2.50%
2014	4.80%	2.90%

Five Year Increases from ABS compiled by Diggers Rest Talk

Melton Council will spend thousands of dollars getting residents out and about if its draft budget is approved.

The council has set aside money in its draft budget, presented at last night’s council meeting, for outdoor gym equipment, a BMX track at McPherson Park, new ovals at Arnolds Creek, an athletics track at Atherstone and upgrades to netball and tennis courts throughout the city. The council also proposes to spend $50,000 on investigating a public safety CCTV system and has increased the pensioner rebate from $45 to $60. It also includes a new Urban Growth Land Rate for landowners not covered by a Precinct Structure Plan.

Rates are proposed to rise by 4.8 per cent, meaning the average property owner will pay $1745 next financial year. As well as the 4.8 per cent rise, which equates to an average $47 increase for general (residential) rate payers, the budget includes $47.2 million in capital works.

Cr Broden Borg objected to the draft budget, saying he could not support any rate rise and that money was being wasted on unnecessary projects.

He said the budget was unfair and unjust and that the rate rise was detrimental to the health and wellbeing of Melton residents.

“How can residents live and enjoy their surroundings when they have to work two jobs to survive?”

Cr Lara Carli agreed and branded the budget “outrageous” and “unfair”.

“Residents are doing it tough and once again money is being wasted on projects that are not needed, such as the millions being put into Atherstone.”

But mayor Bob Turner said to say there was no need in the municipality for more projects and services was “ridiculous”.

“We are not in a position to be able to freeze rates. No one has pockets of money.”

Cr Sophie Ramsey said Melton was a growth area and as more people come to the city more services and programs need to be put in place for them.

“There is a huge demand on this council, there needs to be a balance,’’ she said.

The budget was passed in a 4-2 split with councillors Borg and Carli the only objectors.

The draft budget is now on display and public submissions can be made until May 28 with submissions to be considered at a meeting on June 10.

The budget can be viewed online or at council offices in Melton and Caroline Springs.

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Residents Try to Halt Sunbury Out of Hume

Natalie Savino of the Leader Newspaper reports that, "Residents launch petition to halt Sunbury-Hume separation process"

Photograph Sunbury Streetscape by Hume City Council

Unsurprisingly to many of us, the primary concerns are that the initial process was rushed and vague.

The economic modelling was based upon boundary assumptions that were not tested. Two of areas under debate are Tullamarine (including Melbourne Airport) and Diggers Rest. Many residents felt that they did not have enough information to be vote in the first plebiscite.

Recently, revised petitions are being  are circulated and there is a suggestion for a second plebiscite to determine whether Sunbury should split from Hume based upon newly proposed boundaries and cost models.

As a Sunbury property owner, I was asked to vote in the first plebiscite but the committee were unable to answer the questions now being raised - the uncertainty caused me to abstain.

Related Articles:

• Diggers Rest Likely To Miss Out
• Sunbury secession: Separation anxiety as questions asked
• Have Your Say About Sunbury Split from Hume Council - At Diggers Rest, 4 April 2014
• Sunbury Community Consultative Committee Appointed 
• Sunbury First Council Election In 2016
• Sunbury Project Panel To Present Recommendations By 30 June 2014
  

   

   

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Diggers Rest Likely To Miss Out

Melton Council chief Kelvin Tori says a submission to the Sunbury out of Hume Panel suggested Diggers Rest not be included in the new council area.

Diggers Rest residents are unsure about whether they want to be part the proposed Sunbury Council and, without decisive action, the communities may be split for the foreseeable future.

Reality dawned when a listening post about Sunbury’s imminent split from Hume Council was held in the town on April 4.

Several townsfolk presented their concerns that Diggers Rest has not been properly consulted. There have been no briefings about implications of rate fees, policing, overall town planning, and coordination.

Unfortunately, without more confidence and better local leadership, Diggers Rest maybe aligned with the wrong council for many years. Diggers Rest Talk do not know why the Diggers Rest Residents Association has not engaged in the negotiations and representations and would welcome opinions from the group and broader community.

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Sunbury secession: Separation anxiety as questions asked

An article in the Northern Weekly reports that there is separation anxiety as questions are asked

Photo: Hume Councillor Helen Patsikatheodorou by the Greek Reporter

The report by Helen Grimaux states:
There is a growing outcry about the legitimacy of state government processes in separating Sunbury from Hume municipality.

An increasing number of Hume councillors are questioning the government’s mandate to force the separation on the basis of an ‘‘ill-defined’’ election promise, which will result in significant rate rises in both Hume and the new Sunbury shire.

Cr Helen Patsikatheodorou said she was concerned the government had overstated last year’s poll of Hume voters as an “overwhelming” result in favour of Sunbury standing alone.

“I think the vote and count was misinterpreted,” she told the Weekly.

Meadow Valley ward colleague Cr Geoff Porter agreed. “People voted on a given scenario put forward by the government and, in my mind, there’s no reason why there should be any deflection from that.”

Cr Porter said Tullamarine residents did not vote to be included in a new Sunbury shire, with the poll stipulating Deep Creek as the boundary. Diggers Rest residents, who pay rates to Melton council, were not even included in the vote and yet might be subsumed into the new Sunbury shire.

Do the residents feel imposed upon or do we feel that this is the right approach? Personally, I was disappointed when we could not vote if we lived on the wrong side of the Freeway.

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Sunbury Community Consultative Committee Appointed

On Friday, 14th March 2014, Minister for Local Government Jeanette Powell announced the membership of a new committee to drive community consultation on the establishment of Sunbury as a new local government municipality.

Mrs Powell said the Sunbury Community Consultative Committee (CCC) will now consult broadly by engaging with the community on matters it believes need investigation and consideration.

“Issues such as possible boundary suggestions, communities of interest, distribution of assets and delivery of municipal services will no doubt be topical,” Mrs Powell said.

“I wish to thank all those who nominated and congratulate the successful nominees who represent the broad interests of the community and have indicated they are prepared to listen and engage with the people of Hume.”

Chaired by Amanda Millar MP, members of the committee include:

• Catherine Borazio – extensive local government and industry experience, currently completing masters in urban planning and development;
• Susan Duncan – former president of Lions Club of Sunbury, member of Bulla Cemetery Trust;
• John Hennessy – strategic planning consultant with experience in strategic local government directions;
• Elizabeth Kosanovic – president Broadmeadows Progress Association;
• Phillip Lithgow – president of Sunbury Football Club, former local business owner;
• Peter Ralph – local business owner and past member Sunbury Chamber of Commerce, Sunbury Village Traders and Sunbury Community Health Centre Board;
• Phillip Ripper – chief executive officer of Sunbury Community Health Centre, extensive experience in public policy including health and service development and community engagement; and
• Lawrence Seyers – vice president of Sunbury Residents Association, 2011 Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association ‘Young Professional’ award recipient.

Mrs Millar said she was looking forward to working with the committee to achieve the best outcomes for Sunbury and Hume residents.

Under the Local Government Act 1989, Mrs Powell has also appointed the Sunbury out of Hume City Council Panel who are charged with the responsibility of recommending the most effective way to achieve the successful separation of Sunbury from the City of Hume.

“The committee will complement the work of the Sunbury out of Hume Local Government Panel and ensure the separation of Sunbury is informed by the community,” Mrs Powell said.

Article by Premier of Victoria Department
Photograph of Victorian Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell by News Limited

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Sunbury First Council Election In 2016

The first election for the new council at Sunbury will be in 2016.

Photograph extract from The Border Mail

Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell clarified the timing of the poll when she and two members of the project panel visited the town last week.

The three-person panel will report by the end of June on the best method by which Sunbury and some of its neighbouring districts will break away from Hume.

Mrs Powell promised the two municipalities – Hume and “whatever [the new one] will be called” – would be fairly divided, with assets and services apportioned so both areas would be sustainable.

She said issues such as what the new municipality would be called and whether it would include districts such as Diggers Rest, which is part of Melton municipality, were for people to raise in their submissions to the panel and for the panel to decide.

Read full story at the Northern Weekly by Helen Grimaux

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Sunbury Project Panel To Present Recommendations By 30 June 2014

A poll in October 2013, concluded that about 60 per cent of Hume Residents voted in favour of a Sunbury separation.

Gates at the uniting church at Sunbury. Photo by Mattinbgn

In February 2014, the Minister for Local Government, Jeanette Powell MP, announced that a Local Government Panel would be established to review the feasibility and viability of Sunbury separating from Hume City Council. The Minister also announced the establishment of a Community Consultative Committee to help advise the Local Government Panel throughout the separation process.

The panel consists of Brian Haratsis (Panel Chair), Kelvin Spillar and Maxine Cooper. The panel is expected to provide recommendations to the Minister by 30 June, 2014.

The Hume City Council is committed to providing constructive and valuable input during the transition and supports the panel to ensure a fair and balanced outcome for both communities.

For the latest information on the Sunbury Project visit the Local Government Victoria website at www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/localgovernment

Original Article By Hume City Council, February 2014

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Speed Humps On Welcome Road? - Not For Now

According to an article in the Melton and Moorabool Weekly newspaper (3rd Feb 2014)  the 2013 Diggers Rest Traffic Plan has been put on hold.

The Melton council appears to be at risk of litigation unless 21 speed humps are installed along Welcome Road. However, some of the Diggers Rest residents (Alex Jinks appears to be the spokesperson) have rejected the proposal because it would be a disadvantage to their local driving.

It is plain to see that planning is very expensive and complex as it tries to incorporate a big picture, budgets and the lobby group interests. However, to those of us who are not on the inside meetings, the town planing seems to be haphazard and reactive to litigation risks, developer funds and personal interests.

There have been many times when the Melton council has bullied Diggers Rest residents into receiving substandard constructions. Some examples include: forcing girls cub scouts to share a toilet with male adults, placing the netball courts next to the tennis courts, installing expensive tennis court surfaces incorrectly, allowing an enormous double story house to over shadow its neighbours in Universal Drive, and moving the town centre away from the train station.

Meanwhile the council turns a blind eye to the hoons who regularly do burnouts along the old Calder Highway. That is where we need some speed humps or nightly police patrols. Perhaps the council would not be sued if anybody was hurt along that road?

Can the Council plan well for the Diggers Rest infrastructure or are we going to continue reading about planning arguements?

Read more at  Melton and Moorabool Weekly newspaper (3rd Feb 2014) article written by Tara Murray, 03/02/2014

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Have Your Say - Sunbury or Melton

The storm rages on about whether Sunbury will break off into an independent council.

Image: Jen Jewel Brown & David Pepperell at Sunbury 1973

The majority of Hume residents voted to get Sunbury Out Of Hume. Strangely there was not a lot of thought about the boundaries of the new council and now there is a mystery about whether: Melbourne Airport, Tullamarine, Bulla, Romsey, Clarkefield, Riddells Creek, and Diggers Rest should be inside the fence line.

We all know that Diggers Rest is tightly entwined with Sunbury in almost every way, including clubs, events, business, tourism and shopping. However there are many pros and cons to think about for the new council.

Pros:

• There might be a vision and direction to direct the rapidly expanding suburbs.
• An independent council might focus on doing something meanfingful about the traffic congestion.
• A shared council may run combined events and bring about a closer partnership.
• Both Sunbury and Diggers Rest would no longer be considered rate cash cows for the Hume and Melton councils.

Cons:

• More bureaucrats and politicians to absorb community funds - as if we don't have enough already.
• Initially reduced services due to lower population revenue.
• Expecting at least a 14 % rate increase for residents of the Diggers Rest township.

A Sunbury Consultative Committee is being established by the Victorian Government to give input and determine the feasibility study. Submissions due by by 5pm Monday 17 February 2014.

Have your say now. Is this a good idea? What else should be considered?

Do you want to stay with Melton and receive very basic services or be part of the Sunbury council?

Feature article in the Sunbury and Macedon Weekly

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Jack Ogilvie Staying On For New Sunbury Council

Jack Ogilvie has ended months of speculation he would resign from the Hume Citry Council. He says he'll stay on to help establish the new Sunbury Council.

Jack is a proud and passionate Sunbury resident who has contributed many years of his life to the community through working as a Jacksons Creek Ward Councillor for the Hume City Council. Jack was first elected to the Shire of Bulla in 1990 and has served the residents of Sunbury in an outstanding manner since then.  A resident of Sunbury for the past 33 years Jack has twice served as the Hume City Mayor in 1998/1999 and again in 2008/2009.
 
We hope that Jack sees the close partnership between Diggers Rest and Sunbury the same way we do land ook forward to hearing more from Jack as the Sunbury Council is formed.

Read more at the Herald Sun
Read about Jack from the Jack Ogilvie website

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