Mayoral Column 6 April 2015
Published on 06 April 2015
Declared fire danger period ceases
Farmers eager to burn grass and stubble will be welcoming the lifting of fire restrictions across the whole of the Loddon Shire.
I am pleased to advise that restrictions were lifted on 30 March.
Of course, landowners are urged to exercise caution and undertake their planned burns responsibly with appropriate fire protection measures in place.
Announcing The Business of Agribusiness
The Central Victorian Agribusiness Forum, in conjunction with the Loddon Shire Council, will be hosting an agribusiness forum entitled The Business of Agribusiness.
The event will be held at the Newbridge Recreation Reserve on 2 June 2015.
This will be a high-powered event lasting all day and providing stimulating and thought-provoking presentations for those who attend.
Fruit fly management
Once again I would like to encourage and remind residents of the Loddon Shire to check their private fruit trees.
The Loddon Mallee region is experiencing an influx of Queensland fruit fly, and these little pests have the potential to cause millions of dollars of loss to our horticultural industries.
Individual landowners can play their part by inspecting their backyard fruit trees for signs of fruit fly infestation and then taking steps to eradicate these pests if discovered.
Information on how to effectively eradicate Queensland fruit fly from isolated gardens and individual trees can be found on the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning website at www.delwp.vic.gov.au.
Dog and cat registrations due
This is a friendly reminder to all dog and cat owners that animal registration fees are due by 10 April.
There are significant fines for owners who fail to register their domestic animals.
Council strongly encourages all pet owners and animal owners to register their domestic animals so that if they do stray, they can be returned to their rightful owners and the Council can effectively manage stray dogs and cats.
Community Grants are open
Council has opened its 2015 Community Grants Program.
Application forms for eligible community groups are available on Council’s website at www.loddon.vic.gov.au. These forms include the eligibility criteria for this program. Applications close on 1 May.
Council provides a total of up to $200,000 across the Shire per annum to community groups to fund eligible community projects.
I have long been a strong supporter of this program, as have my fellow councillors, as we see the wonderful work that community groups are able to achieve with this modest support from Council.
Streetscape improvement plans for our major towns
Council is planning for improvements to the streetscapes of Bridgewater, Boort, Inglewood and Pyramid Hill.
The streetscape improvements will aim to project a positive and remarkable image of each town, and present the township as an attractive lifestyle option and as a place to do business.
'About Town' is the name for the streetscape improvements project that will focus on these four townships in Loddon Shire.
Outlines Landscape Architecture will be holding workshops to gather community input for the plan designs by discussing the project and hearing your ideas about your town.
These workshops will be held on Thursday 30 April, from 12pm onwards at the Bridgewater on Loddon Post Office and Inglewood Main Street, and on Friday 1 May from 10am onwards in the Boort Main Street and outside the Pyramid Hill IGA.
For more information, go to the dedicated website at www.abouttown.org.