Established in 1902 as the
proudly serving Wyndham
21 SEPTEMBER, 2022
2022 AFL Grand Final supporter posters inside A festival of friendship Members of the Werribee Church of Christ believe seniors are often a forgotten part of the community. It’s why for this year’s month-long Victorian Seniors Festival, the church has organised a fun day focused on building a sense of community amongst the municipality’s older residents. “[We want to] reach out, connect with these people, particularly because loneliness is a real issue,“ Pastor Garry Cowley said. “This is a real need in our community.” The list of the activities includes a trivia quiz, games, socialising and music. Mr Cowley said the church often held celebrations as part of the seniors festival before COVID-19 restrictions brought them to a halt. “[Now we’re] back to a degree of normality, people are looking for community,“ he said. The event will be held on Tuesday, October 4, and is open to all those interested in attending. Details: bronhickman@optusnet.com.au or 97416051 The Werribee Church of Christ’s Garry Cowley, Bronwen Hickman and Mark Rogers.
(Damjan Janevski) 299228_01
Council clips grass laws Wyndham residents could soon be required to keep grass on their nature strips below 20 centimeters or face a $200 fine, if changes to the Community Amenity Local Laws are adopted. There is presently no local law which requires residents to ensure grass on nature strips is maintained, however penalties for damaging, interfering with or placing items on a nature strip without permission exist under current arrangements. Councillor Josh Gilligan said the proposed law is about delivering a “better, more livable city”.
“People have an appreciation for wanting to know the neighbourhood that they live in, looks great [and] feels great,” he said. “It’s about the visual difference in terms of the way we live. It’s a real basic fundamental about individual responsibility, doing the right thing and presenting your neighborhood in a better way. “It’s not the responsibility of government to be involved in everyone’s lives, all the time. We have to take responsibility.” According to council’s The Loop website staff resources needed to police compliance “can be accommodated within existing council resources”. If there is a high level of non-compliance
Our aim is to take the stress and
and additional resources are required council may need to allocate “up to two Local Laws Officers at an estimated cost of $172,000 per year. This cost could be partially offset by infringement revenue of approximately $40,000 (assuming that 5% of complaints result in infringements issued)”. However, council officers expect compliance to be “straightforward” and “unlikely to impose a significant burden”. “For those that are elderly, or disabled, or unable to mow their lawns, council is providing access to services as part of our local law proposal,” Cr Gilligan said. Cr Gilligan said the issue is “quite big” with Wyndham council receiving 4083 complaints
in 2021-22 about overgrown grass on nature strips, increasing from 931 in 2015-16. “People are sick and tired of seeing unmaintained nature strips, when they’ve done the right thing and maintained theirs,” he said. Other proposed local law changes cover abandoned shopping trolleys, short stay accommodation properties register with council, pruning or removing trees with a diameter greater than 35 centimetres and food trucks operating on private property. Feedback is open until Sunday, September 25. Details: https://theloop.wyndham.vic.gov.au/ local-law-review
confusion out of vehicle
S IR A P E R & S T N E ACCID EX
CESS REDUCTION UP TO $1000
PICK UP & DROP OFF SERVICE
AVAILABLE
V A C C R E P A IR E R
CALL US NOW 03 9394 1350 1/30 PETERPAUL WAY TRUGANINA www.collisionconcierge.com.au
12563854-DL34-22
By Tima Halloum