Here are the stories that made the Victorian roundup segment of the latest episode of the Local Government News Roundup.
Wodonga Council CEO Mark Dixon resigned this week, and will leave the organisation after nearly three years in the role.
Mr Dixon is leaving the sector to take up a CEO role with an international organization, described as a ‘one in a lifetime’ opportunity.
The council said its search for a new chief executive will commence shortly, in line with its CEO Recruitment Policy.
The recent resignation of Cathrine Burnett-Wake at Yarra Ranges Shire Council has triggered a by-election.
As the vacancy is in a single member ward, the VEC has announced that a by-election will be conducted by postal vote on 19 February 2022.
The City of Greater Bendigo has adopted its new Domestic Animal Management Plan, which includes a 24 hour cat curfew.
The ABC reports that the plan was adopted unanimously by the council, after consideration of 1130 survey responses and 40 written submissions.
The council said 80 per cent of the feedback received supported a 24/7 cat containment law, to match the requirements to contain dogs to an owner’s property. The new law extends the overnight curfew that was previously in place.
The Melbourne Waste and Resource Recovery Group has announced a global first partnership to provide circular economy training to local government, community and industry leaders across Victoria.
The partnership with the United Nations System Staff College will see a free six week course provided to build knowledge, expertise and leadership capability to accelerate Victoria’s transition to a circular economy.
The course will focus on harnessing circular economy principles and systems based approaches to explore ways in which systems, products and services can be redesigned.
200 places are available to participants across local and state government, community organisations and the waste and resource recovery sector. Applications are open until 10 December, and the course will commence in February.
The City of Melbourne’s climate change and emissions reduction efforts have been recognised with an A-grade rating by the global environmental impact non-profit, CDP.
The A-grade rating is presented to cities with ambitious emissions reduction and renewable energy targets, and a demonstrated climate action plan.
Less than 10 percent of cities have achieved the prestigious A-grade rating.
Bass Coast Shire Council will make six unused road reserves available for the development of social housing in Wonthaggi and Cowes.
Three sites in Wonthaggi will be made available to Salvation Army Housing, while one in Wonthaggi and two in Cowes will be made available to Community Housing Limited.
Bass Coast has been allocated a minimum $25 million from the state’s social housing growth fund, for community housing organisations. Those organisations will now undertake due diligence to determine whether the sites will be included in a submission to access the funding.
Victoria’s new container deposit scheme is a step closer, with the government now taking expressions of interest from qualified organisations to run the scheme.
The scheme will have a minimum of one collection point per 14,500 people in metropolitan areas; at least one per town of 750 people in regional areas; and at least one per town of 350 people in rural areas.
The EOI is open to any business or joint venture, including social enterprises, not-for-profits and charities who can demonstrate ability to deliver the requirements of the scheme. The EOI closes on 23rd December.
Now for a roundup of mayoral election results since our last bulletin on Wednesday:
The newly elected South Gippsland Shire Council has elected its first mayor. Moyha Davies will be mayor for the next 12 months, while Nathan Hersey is deputy. Cr Davies is the only current councillor with previous council experience.
At Bass Coast, Michael Whelan is the new Mayor, and Leticia Laing takes on the deputy mayor role.
There’s a new mayor at Baw Baw Shire as well. Michael Leaney will lead the council for the next year, supported by AnneMarie McCabe as deputy.
Moreland has chosen Mark Riley, who delivered is mayoral acceptance speech draped in the Rainbow flag, saying he was proud to be the first out queer Mayor of Moreland. The deputy mayor is Lambros Tapinos, a former mayor of Moreland.
The new mayor of Murrindindi is former deputy Sue Carpenter, while Damien Gallagher steps into the deputy mayor role.
Port Phillip City has elected Marcus Pearl as mayor for the first time, with Tim Baxter elected deputy mayor.
Wyndham City has elected Peter Maynard as mayor for a third non-consecutive time, and Jasmine Hill is deputy mayor.
Status quo at Campaspe Shire with Chrissy Weller re-elected as mayor, but there is a new deputy mayor in Colleen Gates. Cr Gates is a former mayor and two term councillor at Hobsons Bay City.
Brimbank Council has its youngest and first Vietnamese mayor in Jasmine Nguyen, and Thuy Dang was elected deputy.
At Frankston, Nathan Conroy was elected mayor on Thursday evening, with Suzette Tayler appointed as deputy mayor. Cr Conroy is a first term councillor, and served as deputy during his first year on the Council.
And at Horsham Rural City, Robyn Gulline was reelected for a second year as Mayor. The council became the fourth this season to decide not to have a deputy mayor.
About 13 councils are yet to conduct mayoral elections – most will be conducted this coming week. You can keep track of the results as they come in on the Local Government News Roundup website.
Listen to these stories and more in episode #75 of the Local Government News Roundup, brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association.