Central Road Drysdale Residents not supported by VCAT

VCAT has handed down their decision on the Central Road retirement village drainage case.

The residents lost. Geelong Council's Special charge has been confirmed. The residents must pay the special charge for drainage.

We put up a valiant fight

The case took a whole day and it was very tiring. The amount of preparation that goes into fighting a case like this is huge.

We had a fair hearing. Our case was heard by Judge MF Macnamara, Vice President. He dismissed both our applications under Section 185 and 185AA of the Local Government Act 1989.

The Judge was sympathetic to our grounds for a hearing. However he said

"... success by an applicant for review requires demonstration that no benefit at all will accrue from the relevant work.  It is not sufficient to demonstrate for instance that the special benefit to accrue does not really justify the size of the rate or charge levied on the ratepayer...

I am inclined to think that viewed from the point of view of either of these ratepayers, the benefit held out by these works is simply not worth what they are being charged.  Nevertheless, that fact in itself, if it be accepted as a fact, is not sufficient to make out the relevant ground.  To the extent that these applications are based on this ground for review the applications must fail."

$77,935 and $73,352 is a lot of money for pensioners to pay.

What makes it worse is that even though Geelong Council has enabled the deferment of this payment, it comes at a cost. Specifically 5% compounding interest for the first five years and then subsequently according to present interest rates at a rate of between 9 - 10% thereafter.

That translates to a huge sum of money if payment is deferred for a reasonable amount of time.

This is payment for a drain these residents will not use in their life time.

The issue however, is that special benefit accrues to the land not to the people resident on the land. The land at some stage will be subdivided but probably not for a long period of time. In the mean time any residential development work that involves, drainage and other infrastructure development that, perceivably the land may benefit from, in the future, even before it has been subdivided, to which Geelong Council is a party to, will result in additional charges to the relevant landholders.

So if you live on a road which is unmade, has little drainage and no footpaths - beware! At some stage in the future, Geelong Council will come knocking on your door with their hands out saying you will pay and you will pay in the thousands for this infrastructure whether you personally want it, whether you will use it, or not. It is not about you, it is about the land, and it is ultimately what this Council wants to do with the land. The fact that you own it and have your own wants and needs and no capacity to pay is immaterial.

Drysdale schools results for 2011 now available on MySchools site

Today the Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Minister for School Education Peter Garrett published the 2011 NAPLAN results on the MySchools Website.

Data is provided spanning four years from 2008 to 2011.

Each school's financial information is also available.

Information is available for all the schools in the Drysdale / Clifton Springs local area including:

• Drysdale Primary School
• Clifton Springs Primary School
• St Thomas' Primary School
• St Ignatius College Geelong
• Christian College Bellarine
• Bellarine Secondary College

The site enables you to locate statistical and contextual information about schools in your community and compare them with statistically similar schools across the country.

Drysdale Pony Club One Day Event this Sunday

The Drysdale Leopold Pony Club is holding their annual one day event this Sunday (19 February).

It is being held at the pony club grounds adjacent to Lake Lorne.

Please come and have a look at the local riders in action.  This is an open event and there will be many riders from around the Geelong area competing.

Disciplines include: Dressage, Cross country jumping and Showjumping.

Full canteen facilities are provided.

2012 Bunyip Festival - Clifton Springs Primary School

This year the Bunyip Festival will be held at Clifton Springs Primary School on Saturday 24 March from 10am to 3pm. This is a major fund raising event for both Clifton Springs and Drysdale primary schools.

The rides have been booked with the Cha Cha, Spinning Cups and a Bungy Run included.

Food available will include, dumplings, sausage sizzle, icecream, yoghurt and coffee.

There will be lots of fantastic, fun stalls as well as live entertainment on the stage. The silent and main auctions are also back as well as face painting for the kids.

Raffle tickets for the major raffle will go on sale soon. The major raffle first prize is valued at over $1000. Other prizes include Surf Junction, Ristevski Lawyers will kit, photography from Tim Pescott, petrol voucher and beautiful glass beads.

Raffle tickets will be on sale at the Drysdale Market this Sunday 19 February.

Latest news from the press mentioning Drysdale or Clifton Springs

MP claims police stations on brink of closure, by Shane Fowles . Geelong Advertiser, February 10th, 2012. "UP to five police stations in the Geelong region are on the brink of temporarily closing due to a lack of police, a local Labor MP claims. Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney said staff shortages threatened the daily viability of the Ocean Grove, Drysdale, Portarlington, Queenscliff and Lara stations...."

Fresh look at fountain. Geelong Advertiser, February 9th, 2012. "The future of the Clifton Springs fountain hinges on an investigation being carried out by senior council engineers. Once complete, their report will determine whether the structure can be saved. The investigation follows an angry outburst by residents last weekend because of the dilapidated state of the fountain..."

Oil stuck on beach in Clifton Springs, by Peter Begg. Geelong Advertiser, February 6th, 2012. "A CLIFTON Springs resident has reported an oil slick along the beach between the Dell and the end of Edgewater Drive. Resident Bob Marmion said the oil was being trapped in the area, which had insufficient drainage and drains that were damaged. "The slick has been washed ashore and collected by the groynes," he said..."

Drysdale drive-by shooting, by Cameron Best. Geelong Advertiser, February 4th, 2012. A DRYSDALE family has been left shaken after a gun shot was fired into their home. The family was at their Landsdale Court house watching television at 9.20pm on Tuesday when a shot was fired through the glass door of the front master bedroom, smashing into the side of the parents' bed..."

Down the drain: Residents fight charges up to $250,000, by Michelle Herbison. The Bellarine Independent, 3rd February 2012. Charges of up to $250,000 for a drain have pitted Drysdale residents against council at Victoria's planning tribunal. Drysdale Clifton Springs Community Association's Patrick Hughes said many objectors were unable to pay the special charge scheme..."

Fury over illegal beach rubbish dumping, by Shane Fowles. Geelong Advertiser, February 3rd, 2012. "Authorities are investigating mass rubbish dumpings in protected wetlands along the region's coast. Parks Victoria has been forced into costly clean-up work after a spate of illegal dumping along Port Phillip Bay's western shoreline and a Ramsar Convention on Wetlands-recognised site on the Bellarine Peninsula. Speaking on World Wetlands Day, Ramsar project officer Steve Tuohy called on the public to put an end to rubbish dumping along the internationally-significant wetlands..."

Lake Lorne Reserve Drysdale - Approval of Final Masterplan before Geelong Council on 14 February

Geelong Council this Tuesday 14 February 2012 will vote on whether to adopt the Lake Lorne Reserve Masterplan incorporating the various amendments that have been made since it went out for consultation.

Below is an extract from the Geelong Council Agenda (14 February 2012) (in pdf format 12,032 kb) available from the Geelong Council website.

1. LAKE LORNE RESERVE, DRYSDALE- APPROVAL OF FINAL MASTERPLAN
Portfolio: Environment, Sustainability & Climate Change - Cr Doull
Source: City Services/Environment & Natural Resources
General Manager: Gary Van Driel
Index Reference: Subject: Council Reports 2012, Environment Waterways

Summary

• Lake Lorne Reserve is a Crown Land Reserve located on the western edge of the Drysdale township, immediately adjacent to the Drysdale Railway Station and Bellarine Rail Trail. Council acts as the Committee of Management for the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE).
• It is a popular passive reserve for people to walk around and observe the extensive and diverse number of birds, mainly waterfowl, that frequent this waterway. The Geelong Field Naturalists Club (GFNC) recognises this as one of the most significant freshwater wetlands on the Bellarine Peninsula, used by a number of threatened species.
• The Reserve is currently unfenced along Reserve Road and the Geelong- Portarlington Road enabling unlimited access for vehicles and dogs throughout the Reserve.\
• Council received a written request from the Drysdale-Clifton Springs Progress Association to establish a pathway around the lake within this Reserve. There is currently no pathway or infrastructure in the Reserve and the Association expressed a strong desire to improve the connectivity within the Reserve for the local community.
• A Project Working Group was established with key stakeholders and extensive consultation undertaken in the development of a draft Masterplan.
• The key features of the Masterplan involve a new 2.0 metre wide compacted crushed rock pathway, a section of which is to be constructed within the VicTrack land opposite the Drysdale Railway Station; a boardwalk in the north-west corner of the reserve in an area that is inundated when the lake is full; erection of new conservation fencing around the upper water level of the lake and erection of new timber post and rail parking barriers along Reserve Road and a section of the Geelong-Portarlington Road to restrict vehicle access onto the new pathway and into the public reserve.
• Council at its meeting on 25 January 2011 resolved to:

1. Support the public exhibition of the Draft Lake Lorne Reserve Masterplan;

2. Support that the public exhibition involves, but is not limited to sending letters to the property owners opposite the reserve; placing a notice in the Springdale Messenger, The Echo and The Independent; erecting an information board onsite and the Drysdale Customer Service Centre; placing notices and copies of the Draft Masterplan in the Drysdale Railway Station and send copies of the Draft Masterplan to the Project Working Group.

3. Be presented with a final report following the public consultation period and liaison with the Project Working Group

• The public consultation also involved weekly public notices in all the newspapers including the Geelong Advertiser and The Bellarine Times.
• The draft Masterplan was placed on public exhibition from 14 February 2011 to 18th March 2011 and Council received a total of 18 submissions.
• A summary of all the submissions received and recommended actions/responses was prepared and forwarded to the Project Working Group and discussed at a meeting on 11 August 2011. The Project Working Group agreed with the recommended actions/responses as suggested by Council.
• Letters and emails were forwarded to the 18 submitters advising them of the recommended actions/response to the matters raised in their submissions. Council officers also personally liaised with three submitters that live opposite the reserve.
• Subject to some minor amendments, as outlined in this report, it is recommended the Lake Lorne Reserve Masterplan be adopted by Council.

Recommendation

That Council:

1) adopt the Lake Lorne Reserve Masterplan incorporating the various amendments as outlined in this report and within the Summary of Submissions document;

2) send letters to the submitters advising them of Council's adoption of the Masterplan and the changes made to the final document;

3) send letters to the members of the Project Working Group thanking them for their assistance and support in the development of the Masterplan;

4) continue to inform the local community about the implementation of the Masterplan.

We will be able to directly elect our new mayor

On October 27 later this year we will be able to elect our own mayor and they wont be a councillor - Read more from the press release published on the Premier's website:

Direct democracy delivered for Greater Geelong
Thursday, 09 February 2012 From the Minister for Local Government,

The Victorian Coalition Government has delivered on its election pledge to enable the people of Greater Geelong to directly elect their mayor at the 2012 local government elections.

The City of Greater Geelong Amendment Bill 2011 which passed the Upper House of the Victorian Parliament this afternoon provides for the direct election of the mayor by the residents and ratepayers and for the deputy mayor to be elected by the councillors of Greater Geelong.

"Giving the people of Greater Geelong the opportunity to directly elect their mayor is an important step in the evolution of Victoria's second most populous city," says Minister for Local Government Jeanette Powell.

"The people of Greater Geelong campaigned for the right to directly elect their mayor and I'm delighted to be delivering yet another Victorian Coalition election promise.

"The final model that was adopted for the City of Greater Geelong Amendment Bill 2011 was based on extensive consultation with the people of Greater Geelong.

"Our comprehensive consultation process found there was overwhelming support for the direct election of the mayor whereas people were more ambiguous about the direct election of the deputy mayor.

As a consequence it was decided to retain the current system whereby the deputy mayor is elected by their fellow councillors on a rotating basis," Mrs Powell said.

The 12 individual wards for Greater Geelong will also be retained for this year's local government elections on October 27, which will see the number of councillors, including the mayor, increase to 13. After 2012 the Electoral Commission will conduct an electoral representation review to recommend arrangements to return the number of elected members to 12 – i.e. 11ordinary councillors and the mayor.

The Mayor of Greater Geelong will have additional powers – he or she will be able to appoint councillors to chair special committees of the Council as well as being able to appoint councillors to represent the Council on other bodies. A candidate for mayor is precluded from also running for a position of ward councilor.

"The people of Geelong will have their say on who should be their mayor on October 27th this year and I wish them well," Mrs Powell said.