WHITEHORSE NEWS

• East Burwood Reserve page 7

Have your say on the proposed masterplan.

May 2023 page 8-9

• Proposed Budget Funding positive outcomes in the community.

• page 13

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Contact Whitehorse City Council

Whitehorse City Council, Locked Bag 2, Nunawading, VIC 3131 customer.service@whitehorse.vic.gov.au www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au

Phone: 9262 6333 Fax: 9262 6490

NRS: 133 677 then quote 9262 6333

Follow Whitehorse City Council on Facebook

Customer service centres

Whitehorse Civic Centre Forest Hill Chase

Shopping Centre

Box Hill Town Hall

Council meetings

▪ Monday 22 May, 7pm

All meetings are open to the public and are held in the Council Chamber in the Whitehorse Civic Centre.

Council meetings are live streamed at www.webcast. whitehorse.vic.gov.au

Sustainability

Whitehorse News is printed on paper manufactured at a PEFC and FSC Certified Paper Mill and is produced using soy based inks.

Whitehorse News online

Sign up to our e-version and read the Whitehorse News online at www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/ whitehorse-news

Information correct at time of printing: Wednesday 26 April 2023.

Mayor’s message

Cr Mark Lane

With only two months to go before we deliver our next Budget, Council will soon present the Proposed Budget 2023/24 to the community at upcoming information sessions.

Acknowledgement of Country

Whitehorse City Council acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the traditional owners of the land. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Translation services

For free interpreting assistance, call 131 450. Mention the language you speak and ask to be connected to Whitehorse City Council.

如需免费的口译协助服务，请拨 打电话 131 450。接通后请说出您 的母语，并要求转接到 Whitehorse 市议会。

Để được hỗ trợ thông dịch miễn phí, hãy gọi số 131 450. Nêu tên ngôn ngữ quý vị nói và đề nghị được kết nối với Whitehorse City Council.

Για δωρεάν υπηρεσίες διερμηνέα τηλεφωνήστε στο 131 450. Δηλώστε τη γλώσσα που μιλάτε και ζητήστε να συνδεθείτε με το Whitehorse City Council.

Per l’assistenza gratuita di un interprete chiamare il 131 450. Specificare la propria lingua e chiedere di parlare con il Whitehorse City Council.

The Proposed Budget is an extension of our updated Council Plan 2021-2025 and our commitment to the Whitehorse community to continue to deliver vital services, programs and infrastructure, while future proofing and protecting our city. At the heart of this has been your valued contribution – we engaged the community in October last year to help us shape our strategic direction in delivering our Council Plan and Proposed Budget program.

The East Burwood Reserve draft Masterplan is now online for you to review and community consultation will start later this month. I encourage you to read the full draft plan and get involved as your input will shape how it’s used for the next 15 years.

On behalf of Council, I am pleased to advise we have reappointed Simon McMillan as the Chief Executive Officer for the next five years. Simon was appointed as CEO in 2019 and has led the organisation through unprecedented uncertainty during the pandemic, major changes to legislation and how Council is governed.

Council is proud of Simon’s many achievements throughout this time including:

▪ the development (with the community) of Council’s Community Vision 2040

▪ steering us through the pandemic while maintaining excellent continuity of service

▪ overseeing the implementation of the Local Government Act 2020. We greatly appreciate Simon’s leadership and commitment to Whitehorse and look forward to working collaboratively over the next term.

Advocating for Whitehorse

On Monday 3 April, a large truck carrying part of the new Union Station building approached the LXRP construction site on Mont Albert Road.

The truck stopped, as it was clear it couldn’t make it through without damaging trees. Council has responsibility for these trees, which belong to our community. We quickly sent our arborist team to assess the trees and the situation. We communicated that damaging, pruning or removing the trees were not acceptable outcomes. The truck reversed in the afternoon, LXRP later found an alternate way to bring the building components in. We continue to advocate for the safety of our community and natural environment, and to minimise inconvenience to local residents.

Whitehorse Social Enterprise Policy

On Monday 27 March Council endorsed the Whitehorse Social Enterprise Policy. The Policy articulates Council’s commitment to attracting, promoting and supporting Social Enterprises to both Council and the broader Whitehorse community.

Social Enterprises create both social and economic value along with other outcomes that benefit our community, including employment opportunities for those who experience barriers to employment.

Council will raise awareness of Social Enterprises, and their benefits within the local community by creating specific future partnership opportunities with local Social Enterprises.

L More information: www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/policies-strategies-plans

Think Local Buy Local to support your community

Community is the backbone of our neighbourhoods and economy

Studies have shown that children who feel a sense of identity with a community are better adjusted and more successful at school. This can be attributed to the importance of the relationship between self and others. Community can teach skills in social interaction, communication and collaboration, whilst supporting our young people to feel secure and nurtured.

Here are some tips on how you can help foster a stronger community:

▪ Show your support for local businesses by choosing to shop and recommend their services.

▪ Get involved with community organisationswhether it’s the school fete or the local butcher’s sausage sizzle, it all counts.

Calling all small business owners!

Want to be involved in encouraging customer spending in your precinct over the colder months?

The Winter Warmers competition will ask shoppers to spend at least $10 in participating stores to go into the draw to win one of five local business voucher packs to spend back with the business.

This is our way of supporting small businesses in Whitehorse this winter.

L Expressions of interest for businesses are now open at www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/winter-warmers

▪ Follow, Share and Like your favourite local businesses on social media - it helps to provide them with the exposure they need to thrive.

▪ Reach out to others - neighbours, family and friends - nothing is more important to teach our children than kindness.

▪ When you see an organisation or business doing good things be sure to spread the word.

Because supporting your community is everybody’s business!

Meet Brittany, Council’s Strategic Communications Advisor, who works on Council communications and media relations.

Brittany has a background in communications in local government and volunteer communications in the not-for-profit sector. “When I was younger I never saw myself doing communications, but it was a field I found myself very drawn to. In all my previous roles I happened to take on the