Mayoral Matters - April 2024
Published on 24 April 2024
April 2024 – Mayoral Matters
The Yarriambiack Shire Council, in collaboration with the Department of Education, held a Community Meeting on 17 April to provide an update on the Murtoa College Early Learning Centre due to open in 2025.
The meeting, which was well-attended by community members, showcased the strong local backing for the project. While the Council is not directly operating the new service, it is actively assisting the Department of Education by recording expressions of interest for 3 & 4-year-old Kindergarten, Long Day Care, and recruitment opportunities. Interested parties are encouraged to visit the Council’s website for more details and to access the Expression of Interest Forms.
In a promising development, our CEO reported that approximately 20 long daycare expression of interest applications were received following the public meeting. This response underscores the pressing need for long daycare services across our Shire and highlights the significance of this project for our community.
Attendees of the meeting were also updated on the progress of the early learning centre, which remains on schedule to open its doors by January 2025. We extend our gratitude to the representatives from the Department of Education and the Victoria School Building Authority for their time and effort in updating our community and educators on the project’s status.
Additionally, the Council has initiated the Draft Budget 2024/25 consultation program, with the first session taking place in Murtoa on April 16. We invite community members to participate in these sessions to learn about the upcoming budget, project initiatives, and advocacy efforts. The complete schedule for our budget consultation program is available on our website and Facebook page.
Looking ahead, the Council has several consultation programs scheduled now and in the coming months. We are currently seeking community input on the proposed Gypsum Truck Route within the Shire’s boundaries. This initiative addresses the absence of a designated travel route for Gypsum transport and aims to mitigate the increased damage to roads caused by heavy truck movements. Feedback for this proposal, as well as for the identified heavy vehicle parking locations across the Shire, will be accepted until Friday, June 28th. We encourage community members to have their say and contribute valuable feedback.
In addition, we will be inviting the community to engage with us in the coming months on our draft Local Law, sport and recreation strategy and master environment strategy.
Our consultation will be supported by either a Have Your Say feedback form, or survey. Your feedback is important, and we strongly encourage members of the community to participate in this process.