Community services maintained in council budget

Council support for community groups across the region will continue under community development initiatives contained in Toowoomba Regional Council’s first budget.

Environmental and Community Services portfolio chair Cr Bill Cahill said eight community development staff would continue to support local community groups throughout the region.

Cr Cahill said specific community development projects such as the Men’s Shed at Goombungee would continue to attract council funding.  This project aims to break down social isolation through the provision of practical activities for older men.

“Funding for specific celebration events such as Seniors Week, Disability Week and Refugee Week will also continue in recognition of these special groups in the community.

“The Millmerran Community Support Service will receive ongoing council funding as will the Pittsworth Technology Centre.

“The technology centre provides a valuable community service as a computer training centre for use by community groups.

“Council has allocated $40,000 in the budget to support the PCYC Bicycle Safety Awareness program. This bike education training program at Groom Park in Toowoomba is open to primary school children across the region to educate them in safe bicycle skills on public roads.

“Development of a Regional Youth Council will provide a framework to address the needs of young people across the region.  Council staff will be encouraging the involvement of young people in this council.

“Some former shire councils supported local youth holiday programs.  These programs will continue to receive support from the regional council.

“Likewise we will continue to be involved in the Toowoomba Languages and Cultural Festival which celebrated its third successful event this year.

“School chaplaincy services will continue to receive council support.  This is a valuable youth worker service offered to various schools throughout the region.

Streamlining waste management practices across the region is a high priority in environmental health spending in this budget.

Council has allocated $170,000 towards studying waste management practices across the region.  The studies will inform future waste management strategies for council while ensuring regional efficiencies are made where possible.

Cr Cahill said the waste management studies would include a waste analysis which would look at the types of waste generated and how it is handled in all areas throughout the region.

“A regional waste disposal site report will review compliance and environmental issues at all disposal and handling sites and will include a risk assessment.

“A regional waste strategy will then be developed to determine minimisation, recycling, collection and disposal strategies for all refuse generated across the region,” Cr Cahill said.

“Public health spending in the budget will help ensure consistency in food, local law and environmental licensing administration throughout the region.

“A licensing support officer will be appointed to assist managing our electronic licensing system.”

Council has also allocated $400,000 to the construction of additional animal holding facilities at the Toowoomba Animal Management Centre.

“Also, in recognition of the diversity of environmental issues confronting us as the new regional council, we have imposed a $30 environment levy.

The levy will raise an estimated $1.65 million to be allocated in equal amounts to these three components:
•    provision of natural resource management (NRM) services across the region
•    rehabilitation of landfill sites across the region and
•    acquisition of land for bushland parks and waterway protection and restoration.

“This levy will allow council to formulate a coordinated and professional whole-of-region approach to maximising access to worthwhile grants and to tackling NRM issues.

“It is proposed that part of the environment levy will fund an NRM manager who would be responsible for developing a regional NRM strategy and coordinating all regional activities including funding applications to State and Federal Government.

Cr Cahill said the levy would ensure the continuation of on-ground activities including weed eradication, feral animal control and bushland regeneration.

“Liaison with landholders, Landcare groups and other environmental groups will continue with the view to achieving a coordinated regional approach to NRM issues.”