You are invited to a community sessions to discuss the draft of the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2018 – 2022. We would appreciate your feedback about the draft to ensure we have responded appropriately to your feedback during the preparation of this Plan. ‘Access and Inclusion’ is about making all services, buildings, information and activities available to people who have a disability so that they can be included in the community. The Plan will assist Council to build a more inclusive and accessible community.

Click here to download a draft of the Plan.  A draft of the Plan will be available for feedback and discussion at 4 forums in May 2018:

• Clunes:            8 May 2018 – 10.30 – 12pm – Ulumbarra Room, The Warehouse – Clunes
• Creswick:        9 May 2018 – 1.30 – 3pm – Creswick Hub, Creswick Library
• Daylesford:    14 May 2018 – 1.30 – 3pm – Daylesford Activity Centre, 79a Raglan Street
• Trentham:      16 May 2018 – 10.30 – 12pm – Trentham Neighbourhood House, corner Market and High Street

Please RSVP before Monday 7 May 2018 by calling Customer Service on 5348 2306 and stating which session you would like to attend.  Please advise if you have any support needs upon registering (eg. sign interpreters, dietary or care needs).  Registrations can also be received via emailing Deb Westin on – dwestin@hepburn.vic.gov.au.

If you are unable to attend these sessions and wish to give feedback separately, please contact Deb Westin, Rural Access Project Officer, by phone on 0428 025 220 or email dwestin@hepburn.vic.gov.au.

Council is hosting a consultation in Trentham as part of a place making town character study. It will bring together a number of town planning, streetscape and lifestyle (i.e. walking and cycling strategy) initiatives into one shared vision, creating a “place guide”. It will identify the key character elements that residents would like to see protected and establish guiding principles, ideas and potential priority projects for the future of the town.

As part of development of Hepburn Shire’s Biodiversity Strategy, a Response to Feedback paper has been developed in response to the extensive community feedback received from the first draft of the strategy in 2017.

Three hundred and sixty items of feedback were consolidated into 161 distinct ‘ideas’. Each idea has been analysed and actions proposed.  The community has been generous with recommendations to improve the original draft and significant extra time has been committed in 2018 to ensure the finished strategy considers community concerns.

Through April, Council will establish dialogue with key stakeholders to develop further workshops with interested parties, ward-based consultation and establishing a Community Reference Group to oversee finalisation of the strategy.

For more information contact:

• Brian Bainbridge- Biodiversity Officer
• Amanda Western – Manager Community and Economic Development
• Justin Fiddes – Manager Development and Community Safety

Click here to download the Response to Feedback document

We had a great turn out to the Daylesford Skate Park Redevelopment community consultation session in mid-March. There was some good feedback from the young people in the room about the proposed design.  Below are some images of the concepts.

The next steps are to finalise design and apply for funding.

If you have any questions regarding this project, contact Angeline Dooley on on adooley@hepburn.vic.gov.au.

A Community Information and Drop-in session was held at the Glenlyon Hall on 22 March.  Plans for the new toilets are available for viewing at the Hall and below.   Council will consider feedback received from the community prior to the commencement of construction.

The indicative time-frame for construction of the toilets is:

• Review consultation outcomes (9 -23 April)
• Inform community of consultation outcomes – 23 April
• Revise design and services documentation (23 April – 7 May)
• Procurement and building permit (7 – 31 May)
• Works commence (4 June)
• Construction complete (September 2018)

Click here to view the plans

Council has developed a draft Reconciliation Action Plan and we would like your feedback. Reconciliation is about promoting unity, respect and understanding between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other community members. The draft plan lists 15 actions that Council is proposing to implement to promote reconciliation within the organisation and community.

If you would like to make an email submission, please send an email to:

Nate Perry, Cultural Projects Officer, at nperry@hepburn.vic.gov.au

Submissions can also be made in writing and be posted to the following address or dropped off at one of the customer service points with attention to:

RAP Project Officer

Hepburn Shire Council

PO Box 21 Daylesford Victoria 3460

Submissions can be made by post or online by 19 April 2018.

Council will also be hosting  “drop-in” style information sessions on the following dates where you can submit your ideas in person and speak with Council officers about the draft RAP:

Thursday, 12 April 2018
18:00 – 19:30pm
Daylesford Senior Citizens Room

Friday, 13 April 2018
9:30 – 11:30am
Creswick Hub

Click here to download the draft RAP

There is a big issue with feral cats throughout Australia, and Hepburn Shire is no exception.  In an effort to reduce the problem, Council has introduced a pilot program to assist the community with the cost of desexing their cat which is hoped in turn will reduce the number of stray/feral cats falling pregnant and assist in achieving responsible pet ownership.

The Daylesford Veterinary Practice and Creswick Veterinary Clinic have come on board to assist with this program.

Council will cover 50% of the cost to sterilise your cat(s) as part of this program. To be eligible for a 50% discount, your cat(s) must be microchipped, vaccinated and registered with the Hepburn Shire Council. You must also reside within the Hepburn Shire and proof of residency (eg. drivers licence, utilities bill) is required for your application to be approved.

Please complete the online form (below) and submit it. You will need to upload your proof of residency and vaccination.

Alternatively, click here to please print and complete this form and drop it into one of our customer service centres.

Council will process your application and provide a response within 10 working days.

Detox your Home, a safe, free and easy-to-use service to dispose of common household chemicals without harming your health or the environment – is coming to Daylesford.

When:             Saturday 12 May 2018

Time:               10.00 am to 2.00 pm

Where:            Daylesford Transfer Station, Ajax Road in Daylesford

Why not take the opportunity to clean out your shed, bathroom, kitchen, laundry and garage to get rid of unwanted, highly toxic household chemicals?  And make sure you tell your friends and family so they too can take advantage of the FREE Detox your Home event.

Just show up on the day and the trained Detox your Home team will do the rest.

The collected items are recycled for recovery and diverted from landfill.

Detox your Home. Do the right thing for your loved ones and your environment. It’s easy and it’s free.

Paint and other common products

Paint, household batteries, and fluorescent lights – which are less toxic than household chemicals (but also a more common waste item) – can be disposed of throughout the year at a permanent drop-off site.

Visit www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/detoxyourhome for a full list of permanent drop-off sites or call 1300 363 744 for more information.

Did you know? You can receive your first instalment rates notice for the 2017/18 financial year and all future notices by email if you register by 30 July 2017.  You can also register at any time for future instalments. It’s easy.

Using information in your Rates notice(s), simply complete the following steps to sign up:

1. Your Details – Enter owner details and email address
2. Properties – Enter each of your properties
3. Submit

We will review your application and notify you by email when the registration is complete.