Council endorses its Annual Report 2020-2021
Council endorses its Annual Report 2020-2021
Towong Shire Council has presented its Annual Report 2020-2021. Mayor Andrew Whitehead said, “despite the enormous challenges of the past year, I’m proud to say that we have once again delivered some terrific outcomes for the communities we serve.”
Some key highlights included:
- Completing the Destination Tallangatta project
- Securing $160,000 for the development of the High Country Rail Trail, including a Masterplan, signage and a cycle tourism campaign
- Upgrading the Attree Centre in Corryong
- Securing $5 million in funding for Stage 2 of the Great River Road project
- Reconstructing the fire-damaged Corryong Landfill and Transfer Station storage shed
- Upgrading the Corryong and Tallangatta Early Years Learning Centre playgrounds
- Offering three-year-old kindergarten at our centres for the first time
- Advocating for two new mobile telecommunications towers now in place at Burrowye and Berringama
- Holding the inaugural Upper Murray Tourism and Business Expo
- Putting in place a new Customer Relationship Management system to help our staff to deliver excellent customer service
- Initiating the development of an Economic Development Strategy, Agriculture Strategy and Destination Management Plan
Mayor Whitehead highlighted Council’s continued commitment to supporting the community to recover following the 2019/20 bushfires.
“We know that community-led initiatives are key to recovery, and the $582,619 provided in grant funding to 160 community projects across the Shire will help support the renewal process,” he said.
Mayor Whitehead also acknowledged the advocacy work of the Council to secure significant state and federal funding.
“As a small rural council, we’re very reliant on attracting government funding to provide the infrastructure and services our community deserves.”
“We worked hard to secure an incredible $13 million from the State to support the delivery of our 2021/22 capital works program,” he said.
“Whilst all of these are wonderful achievements, it’s important that we also acknowledge the ‘business as usual’ activities and services that we deliver ‘day in, day out’, which are significant but often overlooked because it is ‘just what a council does’,” Mayor Whitehead said.
These include things like parks and gardens maintenance, garbage collection, road grading and maintenance, library services, swimming pool operations, kindergartens, childcare and maternal and child health services, not to mention legislative services such as dog registrations, planning, building and environmental health services, all backed up by customer service, finance, technology, human resources, occupational health and safety, and other administrative staff.
The Annual Report 2020-2021 is available on Council’s website at towong.vic.gov.au, or you may request a copy from Council by calling 1300 365 222 or emailing info@towong.vic.gov.au.
