Whale Time Playtime Festival Breaks All Records!
This year’s Whale Time Playtime Festival nearly tripled attendance figures from 2015, breaking all previous attendance records with more than 3500 people attending the unique full day kids’ festival.
Held on 29 May at Warland Reserve to celebrate the start of the whale season, new inclusions to the festival were an 8m Rock Climbing Wall, Mr Oopy the Bubble Man, giant kite displays by the Adelaide Kite Flyers Association, introduction of food stalls including local businesses, and the introduction of a large marquee for the main stage. Festival organisers have received glowing feedback for the event, and preliminary planning has commenced for next year’s event.
To top it off, the first reported whale sighting for the region happened on the same day, with local whale spotter confirming the sighting in the morning of the 29 May. We were also fortunate to have whale sightings each day over the long weekend.
Find out about the latest whale sightings.
Better Development Plan (BDP) and General Development Plan Amendment
The City of Victor Harbor has released the Victor Harbor Better Development Plan (BDP) and General Development Plan Amendment (DPA) for public consultation.
The DPA seeks to convert the Council’s current Development Plan into the ‘Better Development Plan’ structure which results in the adoption of consistent state-wide policies from the SA Planning Policy Library. The DPA also attempts to address some minor planning zone boundary anomalies.
The proposed DPA is available for viewing online or at the City of Victor Harbor Civic Centre (1 Bay Road, Victor Harbor).
A ‘drop-in’ information session will be held on Monday, 20 June 2016 between 2pm and 6pm at the Civic Centre (Encounter Room). The session is a chance for members of the community to seek clarification on the proposed DPA and ask questions of council staff.
The public have until 5pm on Tuesday, 9 August to make a written submission.
At the conclusion of the public consultation period, all submissions will be made available to the public and a public hearing will be held on Tuesday, 16 August 2016 at 3pm in order to hear submissions from people who have requested to speak in relation to the DPA. If there are no requests to speak at the hearing, it will not be held.
2016 NADIOC Family Day
NAIDOC Week Celebrations will be taking place around the country in the first week of July to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements.
The City of Victor Harbor will host a NAIDOC Family Day on Friday, 1 July at Warland Reserve. Starting with a community march from Grosvenor Gardens to Warland Reserve at 10.30am, the celebrations will run through to 2pm with live entertainment, music, traditional Aboriginal games a free barbecue lunch and children’s art and craft activities. There will also be free access to the SA Whale Centre during the celebrations.
The Southern Fleurieu Aboriginal Youth Action Committee will use the event to launch an Aboriginal Language Book they have developed, ‘Ngarrindjeri for Smarties’.
Inquiries about the Victor Harbor NAIDOC Family Day should be directed to Kerry Pomery on (08) 8551 0500.
2016/17 Budget Update
Council’s preparation of its draft 2016/17 Annual Business Plan and Budget is nearing completion with the public consultation period concluding on 7 June 2016.
During the consultation period the community had a chance to comment on the key planned activities the council proposes to undertake in 2016/17, as well as where Council plans to allocate its funds.
Sixteen formal submissions were made during the consultation period, along with a number of verbal comments and questions at the community information session held on Thursday, 2 June.
The Council will now consider the feedback provided through the consultation period at a Special Council meeting on Monday, 20 June 2016 at 2pm in the City of Victor Harbor Council Chambers. At this meeting the Council will also receive updates on rate modelling and the draft budget in order to provide directions to administration on the preparation of the draft budget.
It is expected a further special meeting will be called on Monday, 4 July 2016 where the draft Annual Business Plan and Budget will be presented for adoption.
Victor Harbor Mainstreet Precinct Upgrade
Works continue to progress on Stage 1 of the Victor Harbor Mainstreet Precinct Upgrade.
Despite some wet weather over the last couple of weeks, the project is still on track for completion in August.
If you have been in the Mainstreet, you will notice that there has been some change to the pedestrian pathways. Access is now down the centre of Coral Street rather than adjacent the buildings, and connects to Ocean Street walkways. Please be aware that the arrangement for pedestrians will continue to change throughout the project to enable works in different areas to be completed.
The installation of the stormwater pipe is complete and the electrical installation is on track. Concrete works (including the planter boxes) is about to commence, and the first layer of pavement for the road and footpaths was installed this week.
Don’t forget, its business as usual in the Mainstreet Precinct during the works period.
For the latest project news visit our online construction zone.
Kerbside Waste Collection Consultation
The public consultation period for the future options for kerbside waste collection in the City of Victor Harbor council area concluded on Friday, 20 May 2016.
More than 330 members of the community completed the options survey to share their thoughts on the current kerbside waste collection service, and their preferences for options going forward.
A report summarising the consultation results will be presented to Council for consideration at its June ordinary meeting.
The Council have previously resolved that the service will remain as it is in 2016/17, and any changes will be implemented after this period.
Further updates on this issue will be provided in future editions of Victor Viewpoint.
Elector Representation Review
Council is currently undertaking an Elector Representation Review. The review aims to consider the electoral composition, size and structure of the Council.
The Representation Review will address the composition of the Council in terms of:
- Method of election of the Mayor;
- Number of Councillors; and
- Electoral structure for the election of Councillors (i.e. Wards or no Wards).
Advantages and disadvantages of the options available will be examined in future reports.
The Representation Review will produce two draft papers for Council’s consideration and public consultation including:
- A Representation Options Paper;
- The draft Representation Review Report.
Council is holding a combined workshop on 11 July 2016 at 5.30pm for both Elected Members and the community to generally discuss key issues; ascertain Councillor thoughts and issues; and address questions from the community.
A further Elected Member Workshop will be held on 8 August 2016 at 5.30pm in the Council Chamber. The purpose of this workshop is for members to discuss the draft ‘Representation Options Paper', and it is open to the public to observe.
Further information will be provided on Council’s website in the near future.
Next Council Meeting
The City of Victor Harbor will hold a special council meeting on Monday, 20 June 2016 at 2pm in the Council Chambers, 1 Bay Road Victor Harbor.
The next ordinary meeting of Council will be held on Monday, 27 June 2016 at 5.30pm in the Council Chambers.
All special and ordinary meetings are livestreamed via www.victor.sa.gov.au.
