HALF-YEARLY UPDATE | ISSUE 14 | AUGUST 2015
Message from the Mayor Welcome to the special 2015/16 Budget Edition of Council’s Half-Yearly Cr Ray Brown Update Newsletter. This edition provides an overview of the fourth budget of the 2012 – 2016 term of Council, highlighting the key elements for our ratepayers and residents. It also spotlights significant projects and initiatives that the $269.9M budget will deliver. Put simply, this budget is about ‘Sustainability’ Where does the Where money does come the from? money come from? and ‘Getting back to business as usual’. Rates and areutility less than charges are less than With the completion of extraordinary floodRates and utility charges 41% of the income41% Council of therelies income on Council relies on reconstruction projects that have been ongoing Rates and utility charges.......... Rates and utility 40.76% charges.......... 40.76% since 2010/2011 – it’s time to return our focus Capital Grants & Subsides.......... Capital Grants 7.71% & Subsides.......... 7.71% to the core business of Council. Sales of major services............. Sales of major17.09% services............. 17.09% Operating grants, subsidies Operating grants, subsidies
So it’s back to business as usual delivering and contributions..................... and contributions..................... 16.51% 16.51% Fees and charges........................ 6.98% 6.98% essential services in roads, bridges and Fees and charges........................ Contributions................................ 7.31% 7.31% stormwater; and continuing the planned Contributions................................ Rental and levies ......................... Rental and levies 1.08% ......................... 1.08% growth of essential infrastructure in water,Developer Contributions Developer ............. Contributions 0.66% ............. 0.66% wastewater and waste. Interest revenue .......................... Interest revenue 1.63% .......................... 1.63% Other Income ............................... Other Income ............................... 0.28% 0.28%
Council has worked hard to create a sustainable budget, and this approach is two-fold. Firstly, to be sustainable the budget must deliver value for money services that our community not only wants, but can afford. Secondly, a sustainable budget is one that ensures Council has the capacity to pay for the delivery of essential services and infrastructure to our communities – now and into the future.
To review all the 2015/2016 Budget documents in detail please visit www.wdrc.qld.gov — See Council Documents / 2015/2016 Budget.
Where does the Where money does go?the money go? By Councillor Portfolio By Councillor - Combined Portfolio Operational - Combined Operational and Capital Budgetand andCapital Percentage Budgetofand Overall Percentage Budget of Overall Budget
Works and Engineering Works(footpaths, and Engineering roads, (footpaths, roads, bridges, stormwater, bridges, parks stormwater, and gardens,parks and gardens, street lighting, technical street lighting, services,technical services, aerodromes, quarry)......................................... aerodromes, quarry)......................................... $157.55M 47% $157.55M 4 Utilities (water, wastewater, Utilities (water, household wastewater, gas) .....household $59.31M 18% gas) ..... $59.31M 1 Corporate SupportCorporate (internal organisational Support (internal organisational services like financial services management like financial and management and information technology) information ..................................... technology) ..................................... $44.76M 13% $44.76M 1 Environmental Health Environmental (waste, pests, Health (waste, pests, stock routes, localstock law enforcement, routes, local law enforcement, natural resource management)......................... natural resource management)......................... $28.36M 8% $28.36M Community Facilities, Community Sport and Facilities, Recreation Sport and Recreation (public toilets, showgrounds, (public toilets, caravan showgrounds, caravan parks, swimming/fitness parks, centres, swimming/fitness centres, sport and recreation sport grounds, and recreation halls, grounds, halls, housing, cemeteries).......................................... housing, cemeteries).......................................... $16.16M 5% $16.16M Community and Cultural Community Development and Cultural and Development and Health Services (libraries, Health Services health services, (libraries, health services, cultural, events, grants) cultural, ..................................... events, grants) ..................................... $13.61M 4% $13.61M Executive Services, Executive Emergency Services, Emergency Management and Management Major Projectsand ...................... Major Projects $7.17M ...................... 2% $7.17M Economic Development Economic and Tourism Development and Tourism (including Saleyards)............................................ (including Saleyards)............................................ $5.50M 2% $5.50M Planning .................................................................. Planning .................................................................. $4.06M 1% $4.06M
Note: The Corporate Support expenditure relates to internal expenses such as on-costs and corporate overheads.
A balanced and responsible approach to financial management delivers on our commitment to sustainably deliver quality services to all communities, whilst dealing with the opportunities and challenges associated with resource sector development.
Once again, the aim was to strike a balance
financially sustainable organisation, now
between keeping rates and charges increases
and into the future.
This year’s conservative average general rate rise of 2.54% across all categories is aligned to match the increase in Council’s own Cost Index.
All-in-all, this budget demonstrates our
Phone 1300 COUNCIL
to a minimum while maintaining Council’s capacity to deliver. commitment to the community to be a Email info@wdrc.qld.gov.au
Cr Ray Brown, Mayor Western Downs Regional Council
Internet www.wdrc.qld.gov.au
Make food hygiene your bread and butter Don’t get left in the cold room when it comes to food hygiene. Food handlers across the region, from community volunteers to professional workers, can put their food safety knowledge to the test by attending one of Western Downs Regional Council’s Free ‘Basic’ Food Handlers Courses. Back by popular demand, Council will be serving up another round of courses this October, including topics such as legislative requirements,
personal hygiene, food-borne illness, and correct food storage and handling. So, if you provide food to the public, be it at fundraising barbeques, or local events and festivals, or restaurants and cafes, and are interested in attending one of these courses, head online to our Food Hygiene page at www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/food-hygiene or contact Council on 1300 COUNCIL.
Recycling
Do’s and Don’ts
Rounding up wild dog and feral pig numbers With rural landholders in the region feeling the pressures of growing wild dog numbers, Western Downs Regional Council’s regular Wild Dog Baiting Program is scoring success after success, thanks to extra funding from the Federal Government and the coordinated efforts of Council and participating landholders. This year, funding through Phase 1 of the Australian Government Drought Assistance Feral Animal Management Program has seen Council’s efforts to curb roaming wild dog numbers boosted to include an additional baiting round and expand on the good work of our existing full-time Trapper with two new contracted Wild Dog Trappers. Council’s extra baiting round also saw some landholders participate in the program for the first time, and our most recent baiting round resulted in over two tonnes of Council-supplied meat successfully distributed across the region to 172 property owners. The extra funding from the Federal Government also allowed Council to run a pilot Feral Pig Aerial Shooting Program. Four pest management groups from Inglestone, Meandarra, Moonie and The Gums worked alongside Council and 122 landholders covering 338,720 hectares, resulting in 5,070 feral pigs eradicated. These programs highlight how Council, landholders, and Natural Resource Management groups working together on a coordinated basis can achieve outstanding results for our communities. The last wild dog baiting round for the year is scheduled to run from Monday 28 September to Friday 2 October.
Get the lick of approval as a responsible pet owner
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‘Responsible pet ownership – it’s up to you!’ is the clear message from Western Downs Regional Council to residents as part of its renewed efforts to ensure owners know their responsibilities when it comes to looking after man’s best friend.
keeping your canine companion happy and safe doesn’t have to be difficult.
minimise the chances of them wandering and getting into trouble.
The first and simplest step on the path to responsible pet ownership is registration. You can register your dog during business hours at any of our Customer Service Centres.
Keeping a dog is a big responsibility, but meeting your legislative requirements as an owner while
Our four-legged friends love to go for walkies, so ensuring your yard is properly secured can
Registration forms, helpful tips and resources on how you can be a responsible pet owner, as well as information on registration, microchipping, and de-sexing can be found on Council’s website at www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/animal-management1 or by calling 1300 COUNCIL.
WDRSA Chair Cr Andrew Smith, Mayor Ray Brown, Richard Schokman from QGC, Anne Johnston from Dalby Police Station, and Department of Transport and Main Roads at the launch of ‘Slow Down – Our Kids, Our Community’.
Alliance braking bad driving behaviours In June residential streets across the Western Downs came awash with splashes of blue and yellow, and waste services started their collection runs to discover their regular clientele had been given a makeover, with large stickers bearing the message ‘Slow Down – Our Kids, Our Community’ now decorating 4,000 household wheelie bins. Residents from Dalby to Miles, and Tara to Wandoan, jumped on board the Western Downs Road Safety Alliance’s (WDRSA) multi-phased debut campaign with gusto. Kicking off the campaign, residents displayed their stickers on everything from bins, poles, and shopfronts. The momentum of the initiative was continued with locals sharing their safe speed messages for display on strategically placed mobile roadside signage, and encouraging their friends and family to slow down in our Western Downs. If you didn’t receive a sticker there are still plenty of ways you can get involved in the ‘Slow Down – Our Kids, Our Community’ campaign to increase awareness about the dangers of speeding in our streets. Join the conversation about road safety by sending in your suggestions for the mobile roadside signage,
and share your safe speed messages and pictures of the stickers on bins in your neighbourhood on social media by hashtagging #SlowDownWesternDowns and tagging @WesternDownsRegionalCouncil. With the support of the community, the WDRSA is taking distracted drivers head-on with plans to up the ante on improving community road safety through a series of initiatives each year. These initiatives aim to recognise that we all have the power to make our region’s roads safer. We can all make a difference, by joining the conversation about road safety, and talking to our neighbours about safe driving behaviours. You can keep an eye out for future campaigns and updates from the Western Downs Road Safety Alliance, and what you can do to make our roads safer, on Council’s Facebook Page and by visiting www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/western-downsroad-safety-alliance.
The ‘Slow Down – Our Kids, Our Community’ campaign was made possible by the support of the Queensland Police Service, Department of Transport and Main Roads, and the funding contribution by QGC of more than $40,000 towards the initiative.
Multi-million dollar utilities infrastructure keeps water flowing An ageing water and wastewater system that had reached capacity and was struggling to meet fluctuating demand pressures from development and population growth, is now a thing of the past for the Miles community, with Western Downs Regional Council officially opening several multi-million dollar utilities projects in the township. The much-needed key utilities infrastructure projects in Miles worth $17.8 million includes a new wastewater treatment plant, recycling scheme, and utilities pipeline upgrade. As well as providing a long-lasting community benefit that supports future population changes and encourages economic growth well into the future, the projects demonstrate Council’s ongoing commitment to deliver quality services to our communities. In a first for the town, the new recycling water scheme at the Miles golf course which supports the disposal of effluent from the new wastewater treatment facility, provides valuable green space and can easily adapt to the future needs of surrounding parks and recreation fields. Overall, Council has invested $24.4 million to upgrade the water and wastewater network in Miles, with the finishing touches also being made on Miles’ new $6.6 million reverse osmosis (RO) potable water treatment plant. The delivery of these projects is part of Council’s multi-phased Utilities Infrastructure Capital Works Program, with several infrastructure developments continuing to flow out across the region. For more information about current water and wastewater infrastructure projects contact Council’s Utilities Department on 1300 COUNCIL.
Tap into these great water saving tips Australians are among the world’s highest consumers of household water even though we live on one of the driest continents on earth. Stemming the flow of water consumption in your household is simple and the best part is: it doesn’t have to involve making changes to your lifestyle. You can reduce water use by 20 per cent in your home by making the most out of your daily water consumption in the bathroom, kitchen and laundry. For example, washing dishes by hand saves more than two-thirds of the water used in one
dishwashing cycle. Check for leaks! Thousands of litres of water goes down the drain every year due to leaky cisterns, taps, showerheads, and damaged pipes. Start saving water now. Western Downs Regional Council has a deluge of tips, fact sheets, resources, and guides on how you can be waterwise both inside and outside your home. Visit www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/services/ saving_water or call 1300 COUNCIL to speak with Council’s WaterWise Officer.
Western Downs Regional Council Mayor Ray Brown, Councillors and former CEO Phil Berting officially open Miles’ new utilities infrastructure. 3
What do I get for my Rates? Every $100 of your rates is used the following way: Legend IN MY Home Directly outside MY Home Wider Community
$6.50
$3.69
*Governance (other), Finance, Information Technology
Environment and Health Management (other than waste, such as parking meters, pest management, stock routes, natural resource management)
$1.74 $1.40
Aerodromes
Tourism $3.31 $0.20
Planning and Development
Disaster Management
$4.70 Aged Care and Health Services
$9.20 Waste Collection and Management
$38.90 Roads and Bridges
$0.66
$1.76
Cemeteries
Saleyards
$0.58
$0.97
Footpaths
Drainage $0.61
$18.05
Cultural Facilities (such as art galleries) and Community Facilities
Utilities (water, wastewater, household gas)
$1.81 Libraries $2.18
$0.41
Pools and Sporting Fields
Streetlighting
$3.13
$0.21
Parks and Showgrounds
Community, Cultural and Youth Programs (including grants and donations)
Visit Council’s website for the full Mayoral Budget Statement and more 4
* Governance means how we do business to govern our region and provide services that deliver liveability.
Key Projects Per District Whole-of-Region – total 42 operational projects Winfields Road Landfill (Year 4 of 5)
Regional
$5.82M
West Regional Landfill (Year 4 of 5)
Regional
$2.54M
Regional Water Telemetry Upgrades (Year 2 of 3)
Regional
$1.04M
Regional Water Main Replacements
Regional
$0.80M
Regional Flood Warning Stations - Round Two (Year 2 of 2)
Regional
$0.53M
DULACCA DRILLHAM
BRIGALOW
Chinchilla Wastewater Treatment Plant (Year 3 of 4) Chinchilla $9.25M
WARRA
CONDAMINE
BELL
JIMBOUR KOGAN
Chinchilla and District (Chinchilla, Brigalow, Kogan) – total 60 projects
JANDOWAE
KAIMKILLENBUN
Chinchilla Water Treatment Plant Upgrade (Year 3 of 4)
Chinchilla $4.34M
Chinchilla Aerodrome Redevelopment (Year 2 of 2) Chinchilla $3.50M GLENMORGAN MEANDARRA
Rates and Charges
As a result, the conservative average general rate rise of 2.54% across all categories is aligned to match the increase in Council’s own Cost Index. This equates to an extra amount per week for the average ratepayer of $0.77 for residential, $1.28 for rural, and $1.60 for industrial/commercial. Properties associated with the expanding intensive industry, resources and energy sector (oil and gas extraction, coal mining, power stations etc.) will increase by $1,776 per year or $34.15 per week. Water Access charges will increase by 10%, equating to an extra $0.58 per week for the average connection. Water consumption charges will increase by 3% (or $0.23 per week on average based on a total yearly usage of 200kl).
Chinchilla $2.20M
Chinchilla Potable Rising Main to New Reservoir (Year 2 of 2)
Chinchilla $2.03M
Dalby and District (Dalby, Bell, Jandowae, Jimbour, Kaimkillenbun, Warra) – total 98 projects
MOONIE
While recognising the budgeting pressures faced by households in our region, Council aimed to strike a balance between keeping rates and charges increases to a minimum while maintaining Council’s capacity to deliver.
Chinchilla Trunk Drainage Project (Gaske Lane) – Stage 2 Construction (Year 2 of 2)
Waste collection charges will increase by 13.2% ($0.73 per week per service). Gas Access charges will increase by 5% and Consumption charges by 10%. Sewerage charges will increase on average by 3% ($0.42 per week on average) with this year being the final year of the three year phase-in of the regional charging methodology. Ratepayers will still receive a 10% discount on most rates and charges when paid by the due date. And all qualifying pensioners will receive a 20% Council remission on rates and charges up to a maximum of $200 per year. In summary, this is a budget we can deliver – it balances the demands of regional development while maintaining our infrastructure assets and delivering essential services to local communities. This budget demonstrates Council’s commitment to the community to be a financially sustainable organisation, now and into the future.
Dalby Washdown (at Saleyards) (Year 4 of 4)
Dalby
$1.82M
Dalby Gravel Resheeting 2015/16 – Various
Dalby
$1.79M
Dalby Reverse Osmosis (RO) – Stage 3 (Year 4 of 4)
Dalby
$0.98M
Dalby Bitumen Reseals 2015/16
Dalby
$0.95M
Pirrinuan - Malakoff Road Reconstruction
Dalby
$0.90M
Miles and District (Miles, Condamine, Dulacca, Drillham) – total 63 projects X096 Horse Creek Road Wandoan - Realignment – Miles Stage 2 (Year 2 of 2)
$1.45M
Sherwood Road (0 - 6.8) Bitumen Upgrade
Miles
$1.40M
Miles Wastewater Treatment Plant (Year 4 of 4)
Miles
$1.17M
Miles Gravel Resheeting 2015/16 – Various
Miles
$1.06M
Miles GAB Bore
Miles
$1.00M
Tara and District (Tara, Meandarra, Moonie, Glenmorgan) – total 47 projects Tara Gravel Resheeting 2015/16 – Various
Tara
$1.70M
Reverse Osmosis (RO) Connection Mains (Year 4 of 4)
Tara
$1.50M
Drilldool Road Reconstruction (Year 2 of 2)
Tara
$1.32M
Bullock Head Road Reconstruction
Tara
$1.00M
Fry Street Reconstruction
Tara
$0.80M
Wandoan and District (Wandoan, Guluguba) – total 33 projects Bundi Road Reconstruction – Stage 2
Wandoan $1.65M
Bundi Road Reconstruction – Stage 1 (Year 2 of 2) Wandoan $1.18M Wandoan Recycled Water Scheme (Year 3 of 3)
Wandoan $0.91M
Roche Creek Road Bitumen Extension (Year 2 of 2) Wandoan $0.86M Nathan Road Bitumen Reconstruction
Wandoan $0.64M
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www.advancewesterndowns.com
If you think of the Western Downs’ economy as a garden, then consumers and businesses alike have a role to play in helping to care for it, so that the garden grows and expands to bear highly prized flowers and produce that everyone benefits from. Western Downs Regional Council also has a role to play in caring for this garden, so that the region’s economy
performs well to enable growth and innovation. The It’s Better West campaign is designed to help water the garden by supporting consumers and business to have positive conversations about the benefits of doing business in the Western Downs. By generating a ‘buzz’ about our well-cared-for
garden, we’ll also attract businesses from outside the region to engage with, and do business, in our Western Downs. To help generate these conversations, the campaign will feature events and merchandise in and around the region. So keep an eye out for material that promotes what we already know – that ‘it’s better west’.
Ross and Andrew say ‘Hello Western Downs’ Council welcomes the incoming Chief Executive Officer Ross Musgrove, and Corporate and Community Support General Manager Andrew Ireland, who both took over in their new roles on Monday 6 July. Mayor Ray Brown said Ross and Andrew are bringing a refreshed focus to Council’s vision and direction. “Ross and Andrew bring impressive senior management experience with them which will help Western Downs Regional Council continue on the right strategic and financially sustainable path for our future,” he said. “Ross brings exceptional experience from State Government, coming to us from the Department of Premier and Cabinet and Queensland Public Service Commission. Andrew has a strong Local Government background, including recently being Chief Executive Officer at Livingstone Shire Council. “I welcome them on board and look forward to working with them.” Incoming CEO Mr Musgrove said his focus is on continuing Council’s excellent customer service approach while balancing it with effective cost management. “Council is made-up of great staff who are committed to delivering great services to our communities that is focussed on our customer, the ratepayer,” he said. “Public service organisations need to manage cost effective service delivery and we will continue to streamline processes through the latest technology and innovative thinking. The aim is to make it easier to do business with Council, while enabling businesses and enterprises to 6
conduct their business in our Western Downs. “Meanwhile, I’d also like to pay tribute to my predecessor, Phil Berting, and his exceptional leadership of Council during amalgamation. I hope to emulate his successes over recent years as Council heads into the future.” Incoming Corporate and Community Support General Manager Mr Ireland has been impressed with the commitment to continuous improvement he has seen within Council, and supports the benefits of initiatives such as PuMP, the organisation-wide service level review, and the willingness of the management team to embrace these improvements. “Getting the required level of ‘buy-in’ is what makes initiatives like these work, and I have been impressed with the level of support so far,” he said. “I would also like to pay tribute to Phil and my predecessor, Lee Vohland, as they have made significant contributions to this organisation and the community, and leave Council in a richer state as a result of their commitment. “Going forward there are some fantastic opportunities for this organisation to capitalise on its strengths and advantages, particularly in terms of systems development and how we can better provide service to our customers.”
Join us at Dalby’s Delicious & DeLIGHTful Festival - a two day multicultural festival to be held on 22 and 23 August 2015. Experience the food and the entertainment along with the unique and spectacular lantern parade. Enjoy a leisurely gourmet brunch on Sunday at our Creative Arts Markets and meet the artists at work while enjoying Dalby’s renowned country hospitality. For more information go to www.deliciousanddelightful.com.au
Ross Musgrove
Andrew Ireland
The Natural Wonders of Our Western Downs Queensland is officially home to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Great Barrier Reef, but it’s also home to the world’s largest Bunya pine forest at the Bunya Mountains; and our Western Downs is at the foot of this international treasure.
All of these wonders and more will be showcased in a new interpretative space in the foyer of Dalby’s MyALL 107, together with the newlyrelocated and impressive Lake Broadwater Natural History Collection which features fossils, unique animal and plant specimens, and birdlife habitats.
The region is also home to an extensive range of distinct and diverse flora and fauna, including the iconic Bottle Trees, Aboriginal heritage site scar trees, and the Condamine River, to name a few.
Whether you’re a local or visiting, now’s the time to experience and enjoy the relaxed and family–friendly atmosphere of the display, while also exploring the MyALL 107 cultural precinct
which includes a cinema, library, art gallery, and community radio station. Visit ourwesterndowns.com for more information about our region’s natural attractions and museums.
The relocation of the Lake Broadwater Natural History Collection was made possible by the Lake Broadwater History Society, the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF), and Western Downs Regional Council.
Council’s report card graded ‘Bronze’ The Annual Report is the report card of Western Downs Regional Council’s overall performance, our achievements, our challenges, and our future goals. Now imagine the quality of this report card being compared with those produced by an insurance company or a medical research institute, and the reports themselves receiving grades.
Council’s 2013/14 Annual Report received a Bronze Award in this year’s Awards in recognition of the standard achieved in the report. This result is impressive in its own right, but even more notable given the report was compared with those from multinational companies as well as government, and recognises Council’s commitment to openly and honestly reporting on its performance to our communities.
That’s what the Australasian Reporting Awards does – it uses criteria to assess the annual reports produced by organisations across the Australasia region and gives high grades to those reports which achieve a level of best practice reporting.
Mayor Ray Brown and Council’s Corporate Planning and Communication Manager Ms Kerri Anderson receive the ‘Bronze Award’ for Council’s 2013/14 Annual Report at the 2015 Australasian Reporting Awards ceremony.
A Child’s Best Start easy as 1,2,3 Nurturing your child’s love of language in their first three years of life gives your child the best start; and it’s easy as 1, 2, 3:
AUSTRALIA DAY 2016 NOMINATIONS Western Downs Regional Council advises that nominations are now being sought from residents for the Australia Day Awards on 26 January 2016. Nominations are called in the following categories: Local: Citizen of the Year Award, Young Citizen of the Year Award, Junior Cultural Award, Senior Cultural Award, Junior Sports Award, Senior Sports Award, Sports Administrator/ Coach/Official Award, Community Project/Event of the Year Award in the following areas: Chinchilla, Dalby, Jandowae and District, Miles and District, Tara and District, Wandoan and District. Nominations in these Local categories will be considered for the following Regional Awards: Citizen of the Year Award, Young Citizen of the Year Award, Sports Achievement Award, Community Project/Event of the Year Award and Cultural Award. Nominations close at 5pm on Tuesday 1 December 2015. Nomination forms are available at all Customer Service Centres, Western Downs Libraries and from Council’s website www.wdrc.qld.gov.au.
1. Sing nursery rhymes, 2. Tell stories and share experiences, and 3. Read anything together, anywhere, anytime. A child’s brain undergoes major development by age 3, so it’s the perfect time to start laying the foundations for stronger learning for that child in the future. The economic importance of investing time and money in the early development of children has always been ‘known’ and now the scientific evidence is conclusive. Recent research by Nobel Laureate Professor James Heckman has proven that the rate of return per dollar invested in early childhood development can be up to 10 per cent per annum, through improved outcomes in education, health, sociability, workplace productivity, and reduced occurrences of crime. The Queensland Government has committed $20 million to the four-year ‘First 5 Forever (formerly Best Start)’ Early Literacy initiative which is designed to promote that it’s never too early to start learning. Planning for our region is well underway with Western Downs Libraries set to conduct analysis to inform a region-wide coordinated approach to early literacy programming. Parents can stay up-to-date with new opportunities via westerndownslibraries.com or by following the Libraries’ on Facebook. 7
Register to receive your rates and water notices by email Western Downs Regional Council ratepayers can now opt-in to receive their rates and water notices from Council by email (excludes gas). To be able to access this service, owners first need to complete and return the ‘Request to Receive Rate/Water Notice/s Electronically’ form.
Get ready for extreme weather If you haven’t already, now’s the time to get ready for the upcoming bushfire season by preparing your family and property for any emergency or disaster situation. Stop
Act
• Prepare your Evacuation
• For assistance call the SES 132 500
• Clean up your yard • Know who to contact (have a list ready) Listen • Tune in for Warning and Alerts (Radio and Council’s Emergency SMS Alerts) • Stay in touch with family and neighbours • Be ready to evacuate
• Follow instructions from authorities • When asked to evacuate grab your kits, kids and pets For further tips on how to survive the flood, fire, storm and heatwave season and information about the “Stop. Listen. Act.” campaign visit the Disaster Management pages at www.wdrc.qld.gov.au or call 1300 COUNCIL.
Keep up-to-date with local road closures If you’re travelling around the Western Downs following severe weather events and wondering about road closures throughout the region, Council provides easy access to updates on local road conditions and closures via our website at www.wdrc.qld.gov.au. During an event, the Local Road Conditions Report is updated twice daily, at 9am and 3pm, and includes the most up-to-date information on Council’s list of major roads, as well as local roads with local significance. 8
The Report also provides updates on Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR)-controlled roads of regional significance that have been closed due to flooding or roadworks. To view the Local Road Conditions Report and to keep up-to-date with local road closures visit
Completed forms can be returned to Council either by email to info@wdrc.qld.gov.au or in-person at any Customer Service Centre.
Sign up for Emergency SMS Alerts Keep up-to-date during a local disaster or emergency event by signing up for Council’s free SMS Emergency Alert service. You can register to receive emergency alerts only, which warn of severe weather events, while general alerts also include reminders such as rates and water payments. Registration is easy, just text your postcode along with “GENERAL” or “EMERGENCY” to 0428 417 811, or visit www.wdrc.qld.gov.au and follow the ‘Connect with your Council’ link to complete the subscription form in order to register for your preferred type of alert. You can also subscribe to Council’s Emergency SMS Alerts and eNews during business hours at your nearest Council Customer Service Centre.
www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/road-closures. For the latest information about State traffic and road conditions visit TMR’s website
Find us on Facebook
http://131940.qld.gov.au/. Next scheduled issue: February 2016
1507002
and Emergency Kit
Property owners can get a copy of the registration form by phoning Council on 1300 COUNCIL, dropping into one of our Customer Service Centres, or downloading it from Council’s website at www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/rates-property.