Mayor Beresford’s July 2023 Council Meeting Wrap-up

The first Council Meeting for the new financial year was held this week in Cunnamulla at the Civic & Community Enterprise Centre (CCEC).

LGAQ Annual Conference Motions

Delegates from Queensland Local Governments will meet in Gladstone in October to discuss a wide range of topics and common issues. Delegates will also vote on a number of motions requesting the LGAQ to advocate on local governments’ behalf. Paroo Shire Council will be submitting two motions for consideration, namely;

 Requesting the State Government to decentralise more of its departments/agencies  Requesting the State government to either: a. Establish a dedicated independent and statutory Carbon Farming & Renewable Energy Projects Commission; or b. Extend the legislative function of the current Queensland Gasfields Commission to cover the development and growth of Qld’s carbon farming and renewable energy industries.

Melbourne Cup visits Cunnamulla

The Victorian Racing Club will be including a visit to Cunnamulla with the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday 19th September, 2023. Arrangements for the day and an evening function are under way and will be advertised as soon as they are finalised. Due to this special occasion occurring on a Council meeting day, Council resolved to still hold the meeting in Wyandra but on the day before, being Monday 18th September, 2023.

Walking Network Plan

Based on community engagement, the Cunnamulla Walking Network Plan has been finalised and adopted by Council. The plan has been jointly funded by Council and the Department of Transport & Main Roads and is based on the four priority areas identified in the Queensland Walking Strategy 2019-2029. The plan proposes the construction of an additional 5.3km of pathways that will provide increased pedestrian access to the Cunnamulla CBD and increased opportunities for recreational walking around Cunnamulla.

Food Licence inspections

Food Licence inspections were conducted last month primarily focusing on temperature control and chemical usage. With the new Food Safety Standard 3.2.2A coming into effect on 1st December, 2023, keeping temperature records is mandatory. Licences are due for renewal on 1st October, 2023 and the new licences will incorporate information about the new food standards and inform licensees of their category. A Council employee accompanied the Food Licencing Inspector in order to learn more about the process and be better informed to assist with enquiries.

Flood Works Update

All flood repair works to roads under the REPA program for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021 have been completed. In excess of $37 million has been spent repairing damaged Shire roads.

Submissions for the two 2022 flood events have been lodged with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority and emergent work carried out pending approval of the submitted roadwork repairs.

Staff Health Checks

CACH is currently providing free health checks for Council staff. The health check includes the following :-

Weight Waist and hip measurement Temperature Pulse Blood pressure Blood sugar level

There has been a good response from staff and the screenings will help to educate staff and raise awareness of various risk factors that we all face including stroke, diabetes, hypertension and heart problems as well as establishing what is normal for each individual and identifying any changes early.

To obtain more information, please refer to the Paroo Shire Council’s website www.paroo.qld.gov.au where the agenda and minutes of all Council meetings are posted. To subscribe to the eNewsletter group click on News & Events then click on Newsletters and sign up.

Contacting Council – should residents wish to contact Council regarding any matter, whether it’s an enquiry, reporting an issue, making a suggestion or lodging a complaint, please use the email [email protected]