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Council Update
NEWSFLASH: Local pollie wants less money!
Deputy Mayor Phillip Toynton believes councils should “live within their means”. He told Dubbo Photo News last week that he supports long-standing state parliamentary financial requirements (known as “rate capping”) that force local governments to only increase annual charges by around the rate of inflation.
Dubbo’s own upcoming draft budget, set to be released soon, is expected to stay within the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) figure of three per cent annual increases; something Cr Toynton described as “a good thing”.
“Caps on rates are a good thing. You want to keep them down, they’re a necessary evil. If council is struggling, it’s time to audit the place,” he said.
“Look for efficiencies, go back and find cost-savings from within, rather than ‘printing money’ by using rate hikes at the expense of the ratepayers,” he added.
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Ruby’s “love song” to river opens Friday
Local artist Ruby Davies’ latest exhibit 'Rivers Flow to the Sea, to the Sea' explores her long-time fascination with the Darling River.
Running at the Western Plains Culture Centre until late April, its official opening is on tomorrow, Friday, February 13, from 6pm with light refreshments.
“My interest in the river began gradually; there were unanswered questions after seeing the river in 1994 so devastatingly low on water, such a large and important river without water, is a truly disturbing vision,” Ruby said.
“The work at its core, is a love song to the ongoing future of a health Darling Baaka; it is mixed with the fear that what we had may no longer endure into the future of our lives,” she added.
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“Living lab” to help renewables and grid work together
As we transition to a renewable energy future with a range of power sources being utilised locally, council has agreed to take part in a trial energy management system looking at how they can be better integrated.
Run by the University of NSW and Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE), the pilot scheme is looking at how rooftop solar, battery storage, electric vehicle charges, and grid power, can work together more efficiently to optimise energy use and cut costs, Mayor Josh Black said.
“Financial sustainability is one of the areas we are very focused on at the moment, and a real challenge for councils right now, and this project will allow us to reduce our operating costs, which in turn reduces the costs for our community,” he said.
UNSW experts have claimed that the system just installed at council, is the first prototype of a hybrid energy management system that will serve as a “living lab”, allowing researchers to fine-tune the project using real-time data.
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Culture club looking for “fresh perspective”
Dubbo is looking for “a fresh perspective” with six spots available on their new Cultural Council, Mayor Josh Black has said.
The body, he said, aims to create “connections” across the region while “focusing on the bigger picture, dynamic ideas, and regional connections.”
He described it as an “advisory body to allow community members to discuss opportunities for regional cultural growth”.
For more information and to nominate, visit the the council website.
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Bodangora money for Wellington community
Applications have also opened for the Bodangora Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund to support projects in Wellington district that provide “a direct benefit” to the local township.
The fund has nearly $70,000 on offer, with Mayor Josh Black encouraging local organisations to consider projects or programs that could benefit from this financial support.
Applications close on Saturday, February 28.