599 $2699
Singer 3210
$
1599
2 only
Basic machine
Singer 7469 Quilting Machine
$329 Limited Stock
$
159
$599
$
1 only
459
Heights Sewing Centre – Est. 1935 176 Pakington Street, Geelong West
Ph: 5229 3558
narily severe localised thunderstorm on the 19th, which dropped 54mm of rain on central Geelong in less than half an hour – one of its most-intense rain events on record. Geelong Weather Services’ recorder at Queen’s Park measured the equivalent of 7.3mm a minute, during the deluge. This was a monsoonal-like deluge rarely seen in Geelong. The cause was a rapidly-
200 ward plans under state axe By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN SEVERAL Geelong councillors have privately expressed “disappointment” at a State Government directive to abandon their Community Priority Projects ward funding system. The councillors have conceded the system’s $7.2 million in annual funding will be absorbed into council’s general budget. The system allocated $600,000 to each of the 12 wards annually for community-based projects. The funding was at the centre of a battle between councillors and former mayor Keith Fagg who wanted to spend it on central Geelong projects. Mr Fagg quit
A lifestyle estate offering security, privacy and NEW & peace of mind 36 Hollows Court, Grovedale 3
At least 200 community project applications were seeking funding under the system, they said. “All projects now go into the mix and if council considers them worth funding then they’ll get the green light,” a councillor said. City Hall is preparing its budgets for release of a draft budget in May. Cr Andy Richards said council needed to focus on jobs and jobs growth. “Council has got to be focused on jobs and creating employment through attracting private investment at the moment. Other areas might have to take a back seat this year.”
and publicly criticised the model last year, leading to councillors revising the process for applications and decisions with enhanced transparancy. Victoria’s Local Government Inspectorate is yet to hand down findings on its investigation into the system but Mayor Darryn Lyons revealed this week that the Government had told council to axe the funding. Councillors, who declined to be identified, told the Independent they understood that projects already covered under the sytem would be funded to completion but new ward-based projects were ruled out.
CO
C LA
RO
AD Î
Limited Stock
Lindsay Smail
PIONEE
FINAL RELEA
R ROAD
Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre
SMITH ST
HOLLOWS
Í TO
$
$899
weather
T HWY
Long arm • Scissor cut Speed control Basic sewing stitches
the
LONG
398 Built
developing but slowly-moving cell seen advancing on radar but which caught the Bureau of Meteorology. The bureau only managed to issue a severe-storm warning around 5.20pm when the rain was nearly over. The rain was also highly variable, with Highton receiving only 5mm, Grovedale 2mm and Hamlyn Heights almost nil. The rapid intensification was due partly to a trigger effect of rising warm air from the urban area as the storm reached Geelong. In contrast to the overall result for summer, the storm gave the central Geelong area well-above average rain for February of 54.8mm compared to the 30-year average of 38mm.
Under
TO GEE
Singer Quantum L-500
THE END of February has completed a summer warmer than average for the Geelong region. February’s daily maximums averaged 26.3C and the minimums 14.5C compared to the respective 30-year averages of 25.1C and 14C. Five days were over 30C, with the top hitting 38.8C on February 2. The figures pushed our summer to a mean temperature of 19.8C, the highest since 2000/2001. Our summer rain was disappointing, with Geelong receiving only 75mm, which was about 65 per cent of its usual 117mm total for the season. Notable weather events in February included an extraordi-
COAS
Singer Stylist 9100
Hottest local summer in 13 years
SURF
ls e d o M k c to rs o o Fl d n a w e N
Connecting people and communities
TORQUA Y
SINGER SELLOUT!
1122496-PB10-14
| starcommunity.com.au
Page 4 Friday, 7 March, 2014
SE
Fully self-contained 2 bedroom units
Gas fireplace
Delightful living areas
Five star energy rating
1
Designer kitchens
On-site Activity Centre
25
Remote controlled garage
Solar hot water system
High ceilings, detailed cornices Quality light fittings & fixtures
Co-located to Balmoral Grove Aged Care Facility
Heating & Cooling
24 hour nurse call emergency assist
B Built in wardrobes
Close to shopping centres, cinema, entertainment, train & bus routes
2
24 23
Activity Centre
34 33
21 20
19
18 Hollows Court
½N
NEW RELEASE UNITS
CONTACT US:
Tel: 1300 674 071 Email: info@japara.com.au www.retireliving.com.au