Mayoral Column - Wednesday 2 June

2021 SNOWY MONARO BUSINESS AWARDS

It was great to see the Snowy Monaro Business Awards return this year after its cancellation due to COVID in 2020, recognising and rewarding our local business community for their perseverance and dedication through a very difficult period.

The well-attended night at the Alpine Hotel was a testament to the spirit of our Snowy Monaro businesses, and Council extends its heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and its deep appreciation for all the efforts of businesses in our region over the last 18 months.

RATES HARMONISATION

I’m glad that after a number of meetings and much discussion, Councillors were able to come to a decision on the rates harmonisation process for our region following a second extraordinary meeting last week.

This has been a very difficult, but important, process and it was crucial that we took the time to get it right. I thank staff and councillors for all the time and energy they have put in over the past weeks and months.

A special thank you as well to the community for all their input during this process, your submissions and feedback were invaluable and contributed significantly to the policy we have now adopted.

The harmonisation process does not change Council’s total rate revenue, only how that revenue is divided between ratepayers. The total rates Council receives is controlled by legislation, with the 2021-2022 total rate revenue increasing by the 2% rate cap determined by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.

WORKING TOGETHER TO RELIEVE HOUSING PRESSURE

In the last week I have had meetings with Southern Cross Housing, which is a not-for-profit organisation which manages affordable and social housing within our local government area.

Our discussions centred around future planning and strategies for how the group can work more closely with local government. We want to work together to advocate for an increased supply of affordable social housing in our area, in order to address the ongoing shortages that have sadly affected so many.

Council looks forward to working together with our partners to secure a better future for the Snowy Monaro.

COMMUNITY RECOVERY IN BUMBALONG

Last week the community of Bumbalong welcomed volunteers from Frontier Services and the NRMA to their riverside valley.

It was a wonderful few days coordinated by Council’s Community Recovery Program, that brought much needed repairs, rebuilding, and support to a part of our region that is still recovering from the Black Summer bushfires.

I would like to extend my gratitude and the gratitude of our whole region for the help these organisations have provided.