JULY 4, 2017 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
Council slashes costs By Serena Seyfort Almost $1 million will be cut from Macedon Ranges council’s administration, consultants and employee costs to reinvest back into the community. Macedon Ranges council adopted its 2017-18 budget last week – with a reduction of $925,000 of internal costs. “Savings such as these, while uncomfortable for any executive team … are intended to provide further services for our community,” Cr Andrew Twaits said. The council had postponed signing off on the budget at a special meeting on June 21, at the request of Cr Twaits to further examine potential savings in consultation and administration costs.
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It’s important to test the efficiency gap - Mandy Mees
“Consultation fees are self-explanatory in that they are costs incurred when there are skills gaps and outside expertise needed, but it sits $600,000 higher than at the beginning of the last council,” Cr Twaits said at the time. “Administration costs can be anything from postage, bank fees or uniforms – they are costs outside of staffing or services.” After investigation, $925,000 worth of suggested cuts were identified and tabled last week, including in the areas of administration ($175,000), consultants ($250,000) and employee-related costs ($500,000). Cr Twaits moved that the revised budget, including the cuts, be adopted. Cr Mandy Mees said: “It’s important to test the efficiency gap.” After receiving 79 budget submissions from the community and advice from the federal and state governments, the council’s adopted budget includes a number of changes from the draft. The $80 million budget allocates $80,000 to the construction of female changerooms at Gardiner Reserve in Gisborne, $500,000 to incorporate female-friendly facilities at the Pavilion at Kyneton Showgrounds and more than $1 million for the development and upgrade of footpaths across the shire. ■
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Fountain of H20 wisdom
(Shawn Smits)
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St Brigid’s Primary School in Gisborne is streaming ahead as the region’s first water-only school. Choosing tap water as the No.1 option for hydration is being encouraged within the school to benefit the health of the community and the environment. The water-only school policy, which is being supported by local supplier Western Water, ensures students have easy access to drinking water. The company has installed an extra drinking fountain on the school grounds and has given all pupils and teachers reusable drink bottles. Deputy principal Kathleen McCann said the school would also work towards reducing the sale of sugary drinks in the canteen, which already did not sell fizzy drinks. Staff, parents and carers are being encouraged to become role models by not bringing sugary drinks into the school. The water-only schools concept has already flowed through some schools in the Goulburn Valley and Geelong regions. LUCY
Serena Seyfort