Mansfield Shire Council: Community Services Departmental Report COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENTAL REPORT MAY 2019 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT On 14 May the Community Development team delivered a workshop on Project Planning in partnership with Up2Us Landcare. The workshop was attended by 11 community members. Library 3675 people visited the Library during May. Special events/activities held at the library during May included; The first of five ‘Armchair travel’ sessions. 30 people heard Ruth Lermond speak about “the mystery and magic of the Trans-Siberian Railway”. Military historian Peter Spring (Wangaratta) gave a talk about the significance of the Normandy Landings (D-Day) during the Second World War’ All Mansfield kindergarten children and childcare groups were treated to National Simultaneous Storytime Justine Shelton, Library Services Coordinator, completed the 10 month Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program and was honoured to graduate surrounded by Shire and Library colleagues. Sadly Rebecca Munro, Library Services Officer, tended her resignation and will finish working at the Library in early June. Bec will move to a position in Youth Services at Casey-Cardinia Libraries. Bec is sad to go and we are equally sorry to lose her. We thank Bec for the tremendous commitment, high standards and caring presence she has brought to the Library, particularly in the Early childhood space. Youth The Mansfield Youth Centre is a hive of activity, with new young people turning up each week to participate in activities. On average 25 young people attend the Centre each evening. The program for Term 2 at the Youth Centre includes a new Homework Club on Tuesday afternoons, Shed Sessions (music jams) on Wednesday afternoons, FReeZA meetings on Thursday afternoons and games and movie nights on Fridays. Paula Allen from Mansfield Police has been joining in on Friday games nights, cooking simple snacks with the young people. Three FReeZA activities were held during May; Youth Week Photography Launch and Exhibition at the Mansfield Produce Store; photographers, subjects, family, friends and Shire staff invited. Around 30 attendees. North East Skate Series: Overall attendance was 150. Activities included a BMX air bag jump demonstration from ATC in Mansfield, a skateboard workshop had 12 participants, the main competition had almost 50 competitors, mostly local but some from outside Mansfield The Beolite Magazine Project: Students from Mansfield Secondary College and Mansfield Steiner School have been interviewing and writing articles on the residents of Beolite Village to produce a community magazine. The project is a collaboration between Freeza and Engage!, and Jane Herbert (MSC), together we hired local professional Lynnda Heard to run the workshops and editing process.
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Mansfield Shire Council: Community Services Departmental Report
COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENTAL REPORT MAY 2019
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT On 14 May the Community Development team delivered a workshop on Project Planning in partnership with Up2Us Landcare. The workshop was attended by 11 community members. Library 3675 people visited the Library during May. Special events/activities held at the library during May included;
The first of five ‘Armchair travel’ sessions. 30 people heard Ruth Lermond speak about “the mystery and magic of the Trans-Siberian Railway”.
Military historian Peter Spring (Wangaratta) gave a talk about the significance of the Normandy Landings (D-Day) during the Second World War’
All Mansfield kindergarten children and childcare groups were treated to National Simultaneous Storytime
Justine Shelton, Library Services Coordinator, completed the 10 month Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program and was honoured to graduate surrounded by Shire and Library colleagues. Sadly Rebecca Munro, Library Services Officer, tended her resignation and will finish working at the Library in early June. Bec will move to a position in Youth Services at Casey-Cardinia Libraries. Bec is sad to go and we are equally sorry to lose her. We thank Bec for the tremendous commitment, high standards and caring presence she has brought to the Library, particularly in the Early childhood space.
Youth The Mansfield Youth Centre is a hive of activity, with new young people turning up each week to participate in activities. On average 25 young people attend the Centre each evening. The program for Term 2 at the Youth Centre includes a new Homework Club on Tuesday afternoons, Shed Sessions (music jams) on Wednesday afternoons, FReeZA meetings on Thursday afternoons and games and movie nights on Fridays. Paula Allen from Mansfield Police has been joining in on Friday games nights, cooking simple snacks with the young people. Three FReeZA activities were held during May;
Youth Week Photography Launch and Exhibition at the Mansfield Produce Store; photographers, subjects, family, friends and Shire staff invited. Around 30 attendees.
North East Skate Series: Overall attendance was 150. Activities included a BMX air bag jump demonstration from ATC in Mansfield, a skateboard workshop had 12 participants, the main competition had almost 50 competitors, mostly local but some from outside Mansfield
The Beolite Magazine Project: Students from Mansfield Secondary College and Mansfield Steiner School have been interviewing and writing articles on the residents of Beolite Village to produce a community magazine. The project is a collaboration between Freeza and Engage!, and Jane Herbert (MSC), together we hired local professional Lynnda Heard to run the workshops and editing process.
Mansfield Shire Council: Community Services Departmental Report
There are currently 9 learners on the road in the L2P Program, with 7 active mentors. A new L2P car was received, thanks to the generous partnership with Martins Garage. Visitor Information Centre 2049 people visited the Visitor Information Centre in May. Volunteers A morning tea for council’s volunteers was held on Friday 24 May in celebration of National Volunteers Week. The event was an opportunity to show our appreciation for the invaluable service our volunteers provide to our community. In further acknowledgement of our volunteers, there was also a week-long social media campaign which posted 7 key messages on the value of volunteering along with posters of some of our volunteer heroes.
Sport and Rec Perkins Architects have been engaged to develop a design for a new pavilion at Lords Reserve and held a workshop with the community user groups to inform the first phase of design.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Small Business Victoria
Mansfield Shire Council attended the 2019 Host meeting workshop to hear about the Small Business Victoria programs for the coming 2019-2020 year.
We look forward to bringing the most relevant workshops on offer to the community in 2019-2020.
HEALTH & WELLBEING Financial Counselling High level of demand for services continues in Financial Counselling. Clients were required to wait an average of 2 – 3 weeks to access the service. The majority of clients in May were self-referred into the service. The most common issue for engagement was to access support with budgeting and financial management or application for emergency relief income. Financial Counselling is on track to achieve target of funded hours for end of financial year. Regional Assessment Service (RAS) May was a quieter month for the Assessment team, but new referrals saw 6 clients received for in home support assessments allowing them to receive Commonwealth Funded Support Services to remain living in their own homes. Rural Access Valley Sports in Shepparton approached Mansfield Shire Council to assist with facilitating another ‘Get Fit Get Active’ football day for winter 2019. This day will be a collaboration with AFL Goulburn Murray and Netball Victoria, Mansfield Yooralla, Mansfield Shire Council and community stakeholders. A workshop provided by the Centre for Excellence, along with Association for Children with Disability, on ‘NDIS training for Vulnerable Families’ was attended.
Mansfield Shire Council: Community Services Departmental Report
The quarterly Better Communities for Children Leadership Network was facilitated; the network members gained knowledge from presentations on disability services that are available to the Mansfield community. Supported Playgroup We have four families regularly attending each week to our playgroup sessions on Friday. The highlight for May was the visiting guest, Jess Mobourne. Jess, Koorie Education Officer with the Department of Education and Training treated the families to a Koorie cultural awareness session. Jess reading to the children. Autumn art work
Integrated Family Services (IFS) Mansfield Integrated Family Services are currently supporting 16 families. Narelle Kelleher, the new Family Case Worker is settling in well, and is gradually building up her case load. We have recently undergone a service review, and improvement opportunities were identified. IFS is currently running the “Bringing Up Great Kids” program jointly with Child First, which has been well attended. We have had a number of recent referrals and will be close to capacity when the next referral is allocated. Staff have attended meetings with Child Protection, Mansfield Secondary Collage, and the Better Communities for Children Network. We are also working collaboratively with the Centre Against Violence and Child First, who are reintroducing visiting services to the Family and Children’s Centre by CASA staff and the Family Safety Practitioner. Maternal and Child Health (MCH) The MCH program is now running a service five days a week. This has addressed one of the identified concerns highlighted in the recent Client Satisfaction Survey. The Enhanced MCH nurses can now work closely with vulnerable families and those that need extra support in areas of parenting. Some are child protection and child first cases. The monthly statistics have now grown. MCH nurses ran the new mothers group, which meet weekly and include guest speakers on topics supporting early parenting. May saw six new babies born all of which received home visits. Jenny and Michelle attended and contributed to the Better Communities for Children Leadership Network and Janet attended the Breast Feeding working party meeting.
Mansfield Shire Council: Community Services Departmental Report
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Lot 2002 Kitchen Street settled and was finalised on 21 May 2019. Expressions of interest for the Sport and Recreation Advisory Committee closed on 31 May 2019, 4 EOI’s were received.
Mansfield Shire Council – Finance Departmental Report
Finance - Page 1 of 2
FINANCE DEPARTMENTAL REPORT May 2019
FINANCE
RATE VARIATION The Essential Services Commission approved Council’s application for a variation to the rate cap. The rate increase for 2019-20 will be 2.5% on the base average rate. The rate variation will also transfer $1.2m from waste charges to rates (both items appear on your rates notice). This calculates to a total rate variation of 13.94% (inclusive of the 2.5% cap) offset by a decrease in waste charges of about 37%. The financial impact of transferring $1.2m between waste charges and rates charges is between $2 and $10 per annum for the average rate payer in each differential category. Ratepayers 2019-20 rate notice will also include the 2.5% increase in the base average rate and the impact of property revaluations. FINANCIAL YEAR END The team have commenced preparations for financial year end reporting. The Victorian Auditor Generals Office (VAGO) are scheduled to commence the audit of Council’s financials 5 August 2019.
GOVERNANCE Officers are commencing preparations for data collation for the annual Know Your Council reporting. The data collated by Council will be submitted to Local Government Victoria for review and will be made public via the knowyourcouncil.vic.gov.au website around September / October. Annual Report collation has already commenced.
RATES The fourth instalment rate notices are due and reminders have been issued. Supplementary assessments closed at the end of February to enable accurate budgeting of rate income. Supplementary valuations conducted between March and June will be processed in July. New automated phone banking facility is now available – ratepayers can pay any time of the day, any day of the week, using a credit card over the phone. Statistics for payment methods during the 6 months to 31 May 2019 by category are shown below:
PROPERTY
Property sales processed over the calendar year are shown below
Mansfield Shire Council – Finance Departmental Report
Finance - Page 2 of 2
DEBTORS OVER 90 DAYS AS AT 31 MAY 2019
No. Type $11 Community Services 2,5614 Waste 626 2 Street Schemes 6931 State Revenue Office 30,9102 Engineering 400,5003 Local Laws 5809 Environmental Health 1,97443 TOTAL 437,886
RATE ARREARS AS AT 31 MAY 2019 ArrearsRates 73,084Waste 44,970Municipal 31,283Sub Total 149,338FSPL 17,845TOTAL 167,184
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STATISTICS - MAY 2019
PLANNING Planning Applications Lodged
Type of Application Lodged
Use and development for a dwelling 1
Outbuilding/shed 4
Section 173 Assessment Mtn Bay 1
Buildings & works extension to existing dwelling 4
Total 10
Planning Applications Determined
Type of Application Determined
Development of dwelling (1 with outbuilding) 1
Development of camping & caravan park 1
Outbuilding/shed 7
Buildings & works (extension to existing dwelling) 1
Development of two workshops 1
Native vegetation removal 1
Three lot subdivision 1
Two lot subdivision (amend conditions) 1
Development of 6 retail shops (amendment to conditions) 1
Use and development of two dwelling (delete cond. 13) 1
Three lot subdivision 1
Refusal – development of dwelling 1
VCAT Refusal – Use and development for medical centre, advertising signage and car park reduction
1
Total 19
Other Planning Consents & Enquiries
Extension of time 4
Secondary Consent (re-endorse plans) 4
Plans for endorsement, landscape plans 7
Statement of Compliance 1
Notification of co-location telecommunication infrastructure Paps Road 1
Certification Applications Lodged for the Month
Application No Date
Lodged Type Location
Application Stage
S140543S/19 30/5/2019 Certification 2 lot subdivision
148 Malcolm Street Mansfield
Under assessment
S141032M/19 30/05/2049 Consolidation of 3 lots 3885 Mansfield Woods Point Road Jamieson
Under assessment
Days Taken to Approve Planning Application
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC TOTAL
1 - 30 days 2 2 4 2 7 17
31 - 60 days 6 7 5 7 7 32
Over 60 days 7 2 5 3 2 19
Withdrawn / Permit not req/
Lapsed/Refused 2 2 1 2 3 10
Number of applications
finalised 17 13 15 14 19 78
JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN
LODGED 13 25 16 18 14 20 7 15 13 17 9
ISSUED 10 14 8 25 19 23 17 13 14 14 19
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Monthly Planning ApplicationsLodged & Issued ‐ July 2018 ‐ June 2019
DA7121 Use and development for shed 298 Davies Road Merrijig
DA492 Use and development of the land for a medical centre, advertising signage and reduction in carparking VCAT Refusal
6 Curia Street Mansfield
DA5105 Development of agricultural hay shed 1011 Tabletop Road Tolmie
DA2967 Development of land for an outbuilding 239 Pollards Road Mansfield
DA3386/2 Three lot subdivision 110 Highett Street Mansfield
DA6931 Two lot subdivision (amend condition) 2 Amor Drive Mansfield
DA6531 Development of 6 retail shops (amend condition 8)
30‐32 High Street Mansfield
DA548 Use and development of land for 2 dwellings (application withdrawn)
62 Bromfield Drive Tolmie
7
7
2
3
1 ‐ 30 Days
30‐60 Days
Over 60 Days
Other Refusal/withdrawn
May 2019 Approval Time
BUILDING
Monthly Comparative Value of Building Permits Lodged
2018-19 2017-18 2016-17
JUL $2,676,220 $2,806,374 $1,239,521
AUG $4,610,305 $2,575,688 $3,028,490
SEP $3,471,180 $3,525,850 $3,283,640
OCT $8,387,850 $3,669,368 $3,087,059
NOV $9,182,342 $2,110,805 $2,840,190
DEC $2,218,114 $3,425,626 $1,287,616
JAN $4,662,208 $1,412,051 $4,662,701
FEB $5,154,596 $3,317,615 $3,473,971
MAR $5,249,817 $4,018,171 $5,215,249
APR $4,275,654 $6,325,641 $4,342,287
MAY $3,190,061 $7,272,446 $3,247,878
JUN $8,458,304 $1,011,969
TOTAL $53,078,347 $48,917,939 $36,720,571
Monthly Comparison of Permits Lodged for Dwellings
2018-19 2017-18 2016-17
JUL 8 8 7 7 3 3
AUG 14 22 7 14 11 14
SEP 10 32 8 22 9 23
OCT 16 48 9 31 10 33
NOV 18* 66 5 36 6 39
DEC 6 72 7 43 5 44
JAN 12 84 3 46 9 53
FEB 12 96 9 55 10 63
MAR 8 104 10 65 9 72
APR 14 128 15 80 11 83
MAY 10 138 15 95 12 95
JUN 25 120 3 98
TOTAL 138 120 98
* NB: One permit issued for dual occupancy at 33 Curia Street
Value of Building Permits Lodged with Council
Type Number Value
RESIDENTIAL (7 Urban 3 Rural) 10 $2,592,965
ALT & ADDITIONS 5 $170,751
DOMESTIC SHEDS & CARPORTS 16 $391,755
SWIMMING POOLS & FENCES 1 $31,590
COMMERCIAL & PUBLIC AMENITIES 1 $3,000
TOTAL COST OF BUILDING WORKS 31 $3,190,061
SEPTIC
Septic Applications Lodged, Approved and Issued for the Month
Applications Lodged Permits to Install
Issued Permits to Use
Issued
JUL 4 0 1
AUG 6 7 6
SEP 7 3 5
OCT 9 10 5
NOV 14 8 3
DEC 8 13 5
JAN 3 6 4
FEB 9 4 1
MAR 5 8 9
APR 9 9 6
MAY 8 5 7
JUN
TOTAL 82 73 52
Septic Applications Lodged
2018-19 2017-18 2016-17
JUL 4 4 5 5 5 5
AUG 6 10 4 9 8 13
SEP 7 17 6 15 4 17
OCT 9 26 5 20 8 25
NOV 14 40 2 22 7 32
DEC 8 48 6 28 5 37
JAN 3 51 3 31 2 39
FEB 9 60 5 36 4 43
MAR 5 65 10 46 12 55
APR 9 74 11 57 6 61
MAY 8 82 8 65 6 67
JUN 2 67 6 73
TOTAL 82 67 73
Mansfield Shire Council – Development Services Departmental Report
Department - Page 1 of 1
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENTAL REPORT JUNE 2019
ENVIRONMENT
Environment Strategy Development The development of a new Council Environment Strategy is progressing well. The process to develop a new Strategy is:
1. Survey of community environmental issues and ideas;
2. Workshops to develop Strategy content;
3. Draft Strategy development.
Over 170 completed surveys were received. The top environmental issues raised by community members were:
1. Waste management e.g. recycling opportunities, green waste management (96 responses)
2. Pest plants (weeds) and pest animals (82 responses)
3. Climate Change (73 responses)
4. Single use plastics (71 responses)
5. Decreased rainfall and decreased reliability of water supply for human consumption (71 responses)
6. Loss of native plants and animals (biodiversity) (66 responses)
The survey will be used to inform the upcoming workshops. A community workshop will be held at the Mansfield Library between 5pm and 7pm on Tuesday 25 June 2019. The workshop is being promoted on the Council website, Facebook page and via local community networks.
Tolmie Community Based Bushfire Management program
Environment Officer Damien Gerrans attended the Tolmie Community Based bushfire Management program meeting at the Tolmie Hall on 11 June 2019.
Municipal Emergency Management Officer Sue Hare invited Damien to attend following a number of questions regarding roadside vegetation management and bushfire risk. CFA Vegetation Manager Phil Hawkey also attended. The group was keen to hear about Council’s Roadside Conservation Management Plan and what this means for firewood collection, roadside maintenance works and bushfire planning. Damien spoke about the Royal Commission report follow the Black Saturday bushfire and the evidence heard at the Commission with respect to roadside vegetation. Sue Hare has created a ‘Maintaining Our Roadsides’ brochure to answer questions about what can and can’t be done on roadside. Copies of the brochure were made available to the meeting. Further copies of the brochure are available from Sue.
INFRASTRUCTURE DEPARTMENT REPORT June Meeting 2019
FIELD SERVICES
It has been business as usual this month for the roads team with grading, leaf sucking and pothole patching. Drainage work has been a focus after the heavy rains blocked a number of culverts and pipes with silt and leaves. The Jamieson- Licola Road Seasonal Road Closure signs are in place.
PARKS & GARDENS Leaf pick up has been a focus this month with the deciduous trees around the town starting their annual drop. The addition of a new mower is always exciting, but this new model has the added excitement of an enclosed cab to protect the staff from the elements.
CEMETERY
The Parks and Gardens Staff team continue to perform routine mowing and maintenance at all locations. During May there was one very difficult hand dig in the Mansfield Cemetery which took a number of hours for two staff to complete. We also had one burial at Jamieson. Plans are in place to pour a new concrete beam at Mansfield will be the beginning of a new section.
CAPITAL WORKS
The Lakins Road culvert installation is progressing well. The culverts, headwalls and top slab are in place with the road approaches are complete and guardrail is expected to be installed shortly. Expected completion is late June.
The Paps Lane major patch, intersection construction of Old Eildon Rd/ Eildon – Jamieson Rd and the Tolmie Mahaikah Rd seal extension projects have been finalised with the completion of the sealing works. Reconstruction works on Barwite Road have been completed with only minor drainage and clean up works to be completed. Line marking is yet to be completed. The Bon Crescent toilet replacement for Bonnie Doon is progressing well. The buildings were craned onto site mid May with pathway and landscaping works underway. They are expected to be operational before the end of the month.
The construction and sealing of Kitchen Street in Bonnie Doon is underway, with pavement works completed and sealing expected shortly.
The Sideling, Jamieson construction is nearing completion with the final seal and line marking yet to be completed.
OTHER NEWS – BURSARY AWARD
In 1989, the Victorian Branch of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association established an Annual Bursary Award to encourage and assist women in the Local Government sector to further their education. Caitlin Riley, Council’s Acting Technical Services Coordinator is currently studying a Bachelor of Management with a major in Project Management at Deakin and submitted an application for the 2019 Bursary Award. On the 29th of May 2019 Caitlin and Cr Marg Attley attended an afternoon of high tea in the supper room at the Melbourne Town Hall with special guest speaker Lord Mayor Sally Capp and the presentation of ALGWA’s 2019 Bursary Award. Unfortunately Caitlin was not the successful applicant, however, we are all very proud of her efforts.
