‘Like him or not’, Mayor Whelan deserves praise, they say

YOUR attitude the Bass Coast Shire Council’s annual report could depend on whether you’re a “glass half-full or half-empty” kind of person.

But, according to the Deputy Mayor Cr Rochelle Halstead, “like him or not” you can’t doubt the stewardship of the Bass Coast Mayor Cr Michael Whelan.

“He is knowledgeable in the climate emergency space, and we should be proud of the progress our city has made here. With the adoption of the urban forest strategy, investment in electric vehicles and sustainable infrastructure and continued education in how our community can contribute to the target of achieving net zero emissions, there has been significant progress made, thank you Mr Mayor.”

Speaking at last week’s council meeting, Cr Halstead said the annual report reflected on a huge year for the shire.

She went on to list some of the council’s other achievements during the financial year 2022-23, including the Bass Coast Business Awards, the new Community Awards, and the Community Grants Program which delivered more than $100,000 in grants to her own ward of Westernport.

Cr Halstead congratulated the shire’s officers, “many who are local and others who live close by… not just a voice on the other end of the phone” for what had been achieved.

“Bass Coast should also be proud of the record-breaking capital works delivery, that has seen, for example, the new Guide Park Playspace, Guys Road Pathway, Berninneit Cultural Centre, PICA’s new home and new Wonthaggi Tennis Pavilion delivered just to name a few.”

But Cr Hallstead acknowledged the council wasn’t perfect.

“There's always more work to do. Did we get it 100% right? I don't believe we did. The results of our Community Satisfaction Survey tell us that. So, how do we improve these results? I would suggest by continuing listening, not only to those who have the loudest voices. Over the next 12 months we need to put our heads down and do our best to improve in those areas where our community feels we have let them down.

“It's not us putting our heads in the sand and pretending there isn't discontent. We need to listen closely and act, and I for one intend to do exactly that. And hope that at the delivery of the next annual report that we see an improvement in community satisfaction because after all this organisation exists for them.”

Mayor Cr Michael Whelan said the past 12 months were something all ratepayers should be proud of with significant investment in capital works projects and industry recognition via several prestigious awards.

“The 2022-23 Annual Report is a snapshot of Council’s achievements, investments and dedication to our community,” Cr Whelan said.

“In the 2022-23 financial year, we delivered more than $46.9 million in capital works projects, took our incredible prehistoric history to a global stage by hosting the Dinosaur Trail Symposium; and played a lead role protecting the environment and planning for a more sustainable future.”

Highlights of the year include:

* Council’s $46.9 million capital works program, which included a new cultural centre at Cowes, skate park in Kilcunda and dedicated sporting pavilions for soccer and croquet.

* Bass Coast becoming one of the first councils in the world to use climate change risk data to predict the potential impacts on Council’s buildings and a plan to manage these risks.

* Several awards, including the Best Playspace over $500,000 at the 2023 Parks and Leisure Australia Awards of Excellence for its new $1.77 million Guide Park, Wonthaggi.

* Council’s partnership with Hawthorn Football Club.

* The Dinosaur Trail Symposium, which brought together world leading palaeontologists and scientific researchers and educators to discuss the importance of the Bass Coast Dinosaurs Trail.

* Endorsement of Council's first Urban Forest Strategy to mitigate climate change by protecting and growing our natural vegetation.

* Acknowledgement of the valuable contributions of local volunteers and community members in the first Bass Coast Community Awards.

* Awarding $282,823 in community grants.

Cr Whelan said the pull of the unique Bass Coast lifestyle and burgeoning tourism attractions continued to go from strength-to-strength, evident in the vast population growth in the past five years, which has increased by 25%.

“Each year, Bass Coast attracts more than 3 million visitors and by 2036, Council’s population is expected to grow by 10,000 to more than 51,000. With continued population growth predicted, investment in the public realm is essential to ensuring a high quality of life for our community.”

The annual report also highlights Council’s actions to address the declared climate emergency and reduce the region’s emissions to net zero by 2030, including transitioning more council fleet vehicles to electric models and exploring options for green trucks, mowers and street sweepers.

“Our commitment to a sustainable future is something we are incredibly proud of. Everyone has a role to play in fighting climate change, and every action we take – from big things like slowing beach erosion around our bays to everyday actions like installing more community electric car chargers – plays a role in protecting the unique environment we call home at Bass Coast,” Cr Whelan said.

You can view a complete copy of the Bass Coast Shire Council’s 2022/23 Annual Report on the shire’s website at https://www.basscoast.vic.gov.au/about-council/news-listing/council-delivers-annual-report-celebrating-local-achievements