Buloke Shire Council Plan 2009-2013

Council is conscious of the fact that high quality telecommunications (mobile telephone and internet services) are essential to the future of the Shire. The National Broadband Network proposed by the Commonwealth Government promises some guarantees for the future but there is some uncertainty surrounding this proposal for small towns such as those in Buloke. The problem seems to be the one that confronts Buloke on many fronts, the size of the capital investment required to provide improved services in comparison to the population to be serviced. One option is of course to do nothing, simply let market pressures determine future investment read more  …

‘Think globally, act locally’ is a well accepted ‘catchcry’ and many communities across Australia are now getting together to see how they can make it a reality. Encouragement of local energy generation from sustainable sources (solar and wind for example) is becoming more common and actually being encouraged by governments. Some communities are working together to develop small scale co-generation energy plant using local waste materials and bio-fuels grown and processed locally. Other communities are developing community gardens using perma-culture techniques to grow an increasing range of vegetables, fruits and other produce. Many of these gardens source water through storm read more  …

Some Victorian Councils charge a higher general rate to owners of vacant residential, commercial and industrial land as a means of encouraging the development of the land. Not surprisingly, the owners of vacant land dislike the practice, but it is quite common across Victoria. The reasons owners of vacant land often hold onto their properties for long periods can vary. Some hold the land in the hope that prices will increase at some time in the future and they can make a profit. Others hold the land in the hope that one of their children or a relative may build read more  …

In the last two and a half years Council has adopted an aggressive policy to create opportunities for the employment of apprentices, trainees and cadets as part of its workforce. Apart from making good business sense this policy also in part arose from the community planning exercise Council initiated in the same time frame. As part of the community planning exercise you told the council how important it was there were local job opportunities for young people. While many of these apprenticeship and cadetship positions are supported through Commonwealth and State funding schemes they never-the-less still cost ratepayers money. Also, young people employed in these positions spend time off the job at training which means they are sometimes not as productive as other employees. Council is keen to not only continue this policy over the next few years, but to expand it. However, we would like to know whether you support this initiative? Like all initiatives involving the employment of people, employing more young people as apprentices and cadets will cost money. Council believes this is money well spent. Do you support this position?  

Council seeks to recover the cost of providing kerbside waste and recyclable collection services through the Municipal Garbage Charge which forms part of your annual rate bill. In line with national and international trends Council expects the cost of waste collection, disposal and reprocessing to rise significantly in future years. These cost pressures will arise from the increased cost of operating landfill sites, the possible impact of carbon taxes on landfill operations, increased transport costs and the variability of markets for recycled materials. Under current arrangements these costs would be passed onto ratepayers and result in an increase in annual rate bills. The alternative is for Council to work with the community to reduce the volumes of waste collected from households. To introduce tighter controls on materials deposited at landfill sites and commit resources to community education on waste reduction and recycling. These actions may result in a short term increase in waste costs, costs that Council would seek to recover through the Municipal Garbage Charge. Would you support a short term increase in the Municipal Waste Charge for community education and other activities related to long term waste reduction which will assist in containing possible longer term cost increases?  

As with most major debates, the world is currently divided into two camps, those who believe ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’ are realities and must be addressed, and those who believe they are part of an ongoing cycle of events that does not need to be specifically addressed. Irrespective of where people sit in this debate there is agreement on several fundamentals; we need to find alternative energy sources, we need to protect water supplies and we need to secure food production. Communities around the world are addressing these challenges in different ways. Local sustainability is becoming more of a ‘catchcry’ read more  …

By most Local Government sector financial measures Buloke is struggling to match revenue and expenditure capacity to asset maintenance requirements. Asset maintenance will continue to be a high priority for Council as it will determine how effectively we can support the Buloke community now and into the future. Council will need to practice astute financial management over the next few years to meet its asset maintenance responsibilities and to ensure the financial sustainability of Buloke is protected. Sometimes the action Council needs to take to protect its financial sustainability creates problems in other areas of activity. For example, one of read more  …

Buloke Shire Council and the Green Lake Reserve Committee of Management are pleased to announce the July 2011 community consultation events for Green Lake which is located 10kms South West of the township Sea Lake.

Council is looking to gain feedback on:

• Current use of the Green Lake Reserve and if so for what reasons?, 
• What do you value about the current facilities and recreation opportunities at Green Lake Reserve?, 
• What are your ideas for improving Green Lake Reserve?, 
• What words would describe your vision for the Green Lake Reserve?, 
• Do you think there are any problems with the Green Lake Reserve as it is? and;
• Are there any new activities or facilities you would like to see at Green Lake Reserve?.