Upper Yarra
5 Tuesday, 1 December, 2015
Council’s anti-violence campaign
8
A Mail News Group publication
Mail Covering the Upper Yarra Region of the Yarra Ranges Shire
Hospital study finished
33-35
Sports of all sorts
Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808
Council will fight By JESSE GRAHAM YARRA Ranges mayor Jason Callanan says the council will aim to appeal a VEC recommendation that will see the biggest change to ward structures in 20 years. On Wednesday, 25 November, the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) officially finished its review into the Yarra Ranges Council’s electoral structure, releasing its report and recommendations to the Victorian Government. The final recommendation of the report was that the council should keep nine councillors, but have them elected from three wards, rather than the current nine for next year’s election. These three wards are Chirnside, which takes in the urban areas of the municipality around Lilydale, O’Shannassy, which encompasses the Yarra Valley and Mount Evelyn, and Streeton, which covers the Dandenong Ranges. It follows preliminary submissions received during August and early September, follow-up submissions to a preliminary report and a public meeting on 5 November. Cr Callanan, who made a submission in favour of keeping the current nine-ward structure, said the recommendation was “surprising”, as the VEC originally indicated it was in favour of keeping the status quo. He said the change meant he would now be seeking re-election with councillors Jim Child and Fiona McAllister in a ward that covered the entire Yarra Valley - about 22,000 square kilometres. “I honestly don’t know how it’s going to work - I really don’t,” he said. “Looking at my ward, Jim’s ward and Fiona’s ward combining into one, that’s huge, and I don’t know how I can appreciate what Healesville’s issues are, because I’m not there all the time - I’m not local.”
Cr Callanan said the proposed change would be the biggest ward change in the Yarra Ranges since the council began about 20 years ago. He agreed with the VEC report’s statement that the change gave residents variety in councillors for their area, who may have different political views, but argued there was already a similar system. “I guess, in a way ... if they don’t feel like they’re getting success with one councillor, they can go to another - so that’s where it becomes fair,” Cr Callanan said. “They can do that now - there is the opportunity to come to the mayor to say ‘I’m not having any success with the councillor’, and things can be looked at that way. “I do believe that councillors here are very fair, and are open, and don’t have very political drives or agendas, and shouldn’t at this level of government.” He said he was hoping to meet with Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins to discuss the potential changes and council’s position. Though the VEC had previously stated a preference for keeping the current council structure with nine wards (Option A), most public submitters favoured changing to three major wards (Option B). The report said the three wards would address concerns about splitting townships more than the other options, which was an issue of contention for some submitters. “Option B reflected the strong message in preliminary submissions that a three-ward model of three councillors in each ward would be the best way to represent the three major geographic communities of the municipality,” the report read. “Option B has strong and clearly identifiable ward boundaries reflecting these communities of interest. Continued to page 3
Everyone was there... Every man (Ray Turner) and his dog (Jazzy) turned out for Wandin’s best ever Sunset Festival on Friday night. Story and more photos on page 32. 147751
Picture: KATH GANNAWAY
YARRA RANGES GAS HEAT & COOL
LILYDALE 9735 0188 32 Main Street
FERNTREE GULLY 9758 9288 1158 Burwood Hwy
(over railway line Melb. side)
(towards Belgrave)
201557-SS40-5 1086543-JL33-13
5962 2888 16 HUNTER ROAD, HEALESVILLE www.ridgelineglass.com.au
•SplitSystems •DuctedHeating andCooling •GasApplianceSales andInstallation
1201048-HM40-15
Approved Dealer for
*Glass Replacements *Mirrors *Shower Screens *Splashbacks *Wood Heater Glass 1186306-HM24-15
1195158-33-15
SPECIALISTS IN
Ph: 5966 9999
Thinking of selling?...call Bell’s Warburton 59662530 - Yarra Junction 59671277 - Seville 59642277
1198455-KC37-15