Macedon Ranges Residents' Association Inc | Community

Macedon Ranges Residents' Association Inc

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25.01.2022 Everyone knows they can't go any quicker than they are, but, really, whew! those council election results - wow, does paint dry or grass grow faster??? Settle! The word is the results will be known by mid-late next week.

24.01.2022 COUNCIL ELECTION: MANDATORY CANDIDATE TRAINING SESSIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE ON THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT VICTORIA WEBSITE. Key points about training sessions include: ... Training sessions are online only. Sitting Councillors and new candidates need to complete training (a certificate is issued to those who have completed). Candidates must register. A drivers licence or passport is required to register. Training takes about an hour. Training is NOT available via mobile phones. The Victorian Local Governance Association has SAFE CAMPAIGNING GUIDELINES, which provide direction on how to campaign safely. These are available from the VLGA website (top of home page). Key safety points in Stage 3 areas include: Opportunities to have contact with the public are strictly limited; Any form of campaign ‘office’ is considered a workplace and requirements for employers apply including keeping records of attendees or participants; Door-knocking is prohibited; Letter-boxing can be done but entering a person's premises is prohibited, and hand hygiene and minimising contamination of any material being distributed is required; Restrictions apply to those in Stage 3 areas entering Stage 4 lockdown areas.

24.01.2022 Just to let you know, we've posted a summary of the council election vote count and distribution to our website. It shows final primary votes, and how preferences were distributed to elect 9 councillors. A bit nerdy, but interesting... https://www.mrra.asn.au//2020-council-election/2020-counci

24.01.2022 AGENDA SUMMARY, COUNCIL MEETING 26 AUGUST 2020 (ONLINE) 6.00PM Large agenda, with a barrowful of attachments! Many agenda items are changes in response to the new Local Government Act. PE.1 is disappointing, with 19 more dwellings and veg removal sought. This expanding Woodend ‘retirement village’ in a rural zone is more of a 'residential village' and no longer has any resemblance to the aged care facilities that were approved in the original permit. CC.7 is council pro...Continue reading

23.01.2022 AND THEY'RE OFF! Final candidates for Council elections on 24 October are now available in the order they will appear on ballot papers. Not an overly large number, so time to ask some questions and have a deep think about it before voting. There are: 6 candidates in East ward (e.g. Romsey area)... 7 candidates in South ward (e.g. Gisborne area) 8 candidates in West ward (e.g. Kyneton/Woodend area) https://www.vec.vic.gov.au//macedon-ranges-shi/nominations

20.01.2022 Reports are coming in of a planning application for a Freeway Service Centre at Carlsruhe. Officially it's an application for Use and Development for a Freeway Service Centre and convenience restaurant. It appeared as a notice in this week's Midland Express. You can check it out on Council's Permit Register. Update: application number PLN/2019/391. https://www.mrsc.vic.gov.au/Build-/Online-Planning-Register

20.01.2022 ALERT Another Exploration Licence application EL007260 This time the application is includes the Cobaws (State park, VEAC-recommended for Conservation Park status) as well as Benloch, Pastoria and Pipers Creek areas. Advertised on 18 August, 2020, page 38 Midland Express. ... Objections/submissions can be made for 21 days from the date of advertising. The applicant is Syndicate Minerals. To make an objection/submission,go to:

17.01.2022 Shock as Macedon Ranges CEO Margot Stork resigns 3 years into a 4 year contract. Reason and date effective unknown at this time.

16.01.2022 LAST MEETING of the current council term, Wednesday 21 October, 6.00pm (online). It’s a small agenda, but good to see the emergency management plans are up-to-date. There’s also a report on Hanging Rock, and some arrangements being made around the CEO position. Cr Pearce (mayor) has elected not to present a Mayor’s Report for this meeting (during the election period). PE.1 UPDATE OF MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN AND MUNICIPAL FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN Recommendation: A...dopt CX.1 HANGING ROCK PROJECT CONTROL GROUP REPORT Recommendation: Note. CX.2 COUNCIL MEETING ARRANGEMENTS Recommendation: adjust date for election of Mayor/Deputy Mayor. CC.1 APPOINTMENT OF AN ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND RELATED MATTERS - Confidential. CC.2 ENGAGEMENT OF RECRUITMENT PROFESSIONAL TO ASSIST WITH RECRUITMENT OF A PERMANENT CEO - Confidential.

15.01.2022 ALERT Sorry for the late notice but if you move quickly you can get involved in an online community forum and meet and speak with your councillors tomorrow night (Wednesday) from 6 - 7 pm. IMPORTANT: You need to register to 'attend' so please email [email protected] or complete the online registration form. For more information, call 5422 0333.... Go for it!

13.01.2022 Here's the good news: the page to watch is VEC's Council Election Results for Macedon Ranges Shire. The bad news is results won't be available until November 2, 2020. COVID-19.

13.01.2022 DRAFT MRSC PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY POLICY SUBMISSIONS CLOSE 4 AUGUST Council is required to make this policy by the new Local Government Act 2020, which is given as the basis for a heap of confidential items which will not be made available to the public. Council items that will be made public are also listed. Check it out here.

13.01.2022 Plenty of excitement today among the more than 100 objectors to the Freeway Service Centre proposal in Woodend (Barkers Road). The application has been refused by Council officers and the Notice of Refusal sent out to objectors. Some heavy grounds for refusal too, although the whisper is that the applicant is likely to go to VCAT. With the depth and breadth of objectors to this proposal, wouldn't that be what Sir Humphrey would call a 'courageous' move? Good job, Woodend.

12.01.2022 We are hearing that the Macedon Ranges council election results will be known Thursday am, and declared at noon - unless there is a recount requested by a candidate.

12.01.2022 Macedon Ranges 2020 council election. Provisional Result (until confirmation at 12.30pm today). ELECTED COUNCILLORS:... East ward: Annette Death, Geoff Neil, Bill West. South ward: Rob Guthrie, Dominic Bonanno, Anne Moore. West ward: Jennifer Anderson, Janet Pearce, Mark Ridgeway.

12.01.2022 MRSC GOVERNANCE RULES AND ELECTION PERIOD POLICY SUBMISSIONS CLOSE AUGUST 11 MRSC’s website says: The rules and policy are requirements for all Victorian councils under the new Local Government Act 2020. ... The draft rules and policy outline the ways in which Council and delegated committees conduct meetings, elects the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, operates during the period prior to an election and how conflicts of interest are to be declared. The new draft Governance Rules combine requirements from the existing Local Law 11 Meeting Procedures and the existing Election Period Policy into a single set of rules. Overall, it's not bad but not quite as simple as stated. There are wording and other changes to align with the new Local Government Act, and a greatly expanded section on conflicts of interest, but Appendix 3 the Election Period Policy isn’t included. Then there are some changes that vary Local Law 11 content, creating possible conflicts, so a question we will be asking is, which Governance Rules or Local Law 11 has precedence? You can download a copy of existing Local Law 11 and the existing Election Period Policy from Council’s website to help track changes.

04.01.2022 Hallooooooo ~~~~~Just so you know MRRA will again be questioning and assessing candidates in this 2020 Macedon Ranges Shire council election. AND we'll be publishing who we would - and wouldn't - vote for on our website in the week starting 6 October, just as the ballot papers begin to go out. With Gisborne Futures at full boil, lingering uncertainty about Hanging Rock's future, all 3 current South ward councillors not running again, a new CEO needed, plus a group of one-eyed economic developmentists lurking somewhere in these candidates, TIME TO PAY ATTENTION, PEOPLE.

04.01.2022 RED ALERT: COUNCIL ELECTIONS.2020 Local democracy is a little frayed and untidy this election year. The (new) Local Government Act 2020 says residents wanting to step up as candidates and run for council MUST complete a mandatory training course BEFORE being able to NOMINATE as a candidate. No completed candidate training course = no nomination. ... Even though candidate nominations close 22 September, the State government is still working on how and when the training will be conducted and, other than it will be between July and September, the rest is still to be advised. Other organisations are running online Information Sessions: Fri 7 August 1-3pm Municipal Association of Victoria Sat 8 August 10am-12pm Vic. Local Governance Assoc. Fri 14 August 6-8pm Vic Local Governance Assoc. Mon 24 August 10am-12pm Vic Local Governance Assoc. Check organiser’s websites for more info re Information Sessions, the VEC website and MRSC website (also has declarations of donations made by Macedon Ranges’ candidates at the 2016 election). You can go to Council’s website (About Council/Our Council/How Council Works/Elections) to start with, and here’s the link to the slightly unhelpful Local Government Victoria web page:

03.01.2022 ALERT: GISBORNE FUTURES The Future for Gisborne is suburban in this plan. Explosive growth, medium density and medium density, with considerable urban sprawl as well, 3-4 storey shops in the town centre shopping area, 3 storeys in town centre residential areas, plus doubling of industrial land with Commercial 2 on the side. What more could you want? What could possibly go wrong? MRRA has reviewed Gisborne Futures and you can check out our report and matters to be consid...ered on our website. ****** Get on it, Gisborne ****** Submissions close 14 September.