At a meeting last week, our ward Councillor was briefing the attendees on a number of topics and activities related to both Lorne and the wider Surf Coast Shire. One of the items he mentioned was a survey that the Shire was conducting on the topic of “People, Place Future.” Gary commented that this survey would help Council to shape its 10-year plan for the Shire. He went on to say that over 1,000 people across the Shire had completed the Survey, but of that number, only 30 homeowners in Lorne had participated. That’s 3%! If we want Lorne to be top of mind when Council is considering options for its 10-year Vision for the Shire we need to speak up. On the Shire’s website, there is a discussion paper about the survey and the issues which Council is considering. At the end of this article are links to the discussion paper and to the survey itself. The survey has 3 sections and will take around 15-20 minutes to complete. The survey closes at 9pm, 28 February 2021.
Here is an extract from the Discussion Paper:
“What does the future look like for Surf Coast Shire? Surf Coast Shire Council is inviting you to share your insights into what’s important for our collective future. It’s time to think big picture. There’s no doubt 2020 has given us a unique perspective on what is important and what might be possible. Your insights will help create a Community Vision for Surf Coast Shire that will guide us all for the next 10 years. The vision will be the statement that captures our community’s collective aspirations for our shire. At the same time, we will be developing a Council Plan. This will be the guiding document for the four-year term of our new Council. The Council Plan will incorporate our four-year Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan. Your feedback will also contribute to Council’s asset and finance plans. Think of the Community Vision as everyone’s shared aspiration for our shire. Think of the Council Plan as the Council’s blueprint on how to support that shared aspiration.
Dilemma: A situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives.
For example;
- Somewhere to live. Median house prices in some Surf Coast Shire towns have surpassed $1 million. This is great news for some but a major challenge for others. Housing affordability is a particular problem for younger people. People in the 20 to 29 age group are leaving because they cannot find affordable places to rent or buy. Also affected are people who work in education, childcare, health, emergency services, retail and hospitality. Many local businesses are struggling to find workers and service organisations such as the CFA cannot recruit younger members.
What’s the Dilemma? How can we influence affordability when coastal properties are so highly sought after? Where should new housing be located given the limits of our topography? What impact does increased housing supply have on township character? What is the impact of new housing on infrastructure and services? Are higher densities and increased height limits compatible with people’s views on township character?
- COVID recovery and legacy. The COVID19 restrictions led to a major drop off in tourism visitation in 2020. Between March and May 2020, it was estimated that Surf Coast Shire received 750,000 fewer visitors than normal resulting in estimated lost revenue of $125 million. Local unemployment grew from 1% to 10%. Surf Coast Shire was ranked amongst the highest nationwide for percentage of businesses accessing JobKeeper grants, largely because of the high number of businesses that rely on visitor and tourism expenditure. COVID restrictions disrupted people’s lives in many ways. Proactive health checks and management of chronic conditions have been compromised as people sought not to place a burden on the health sector or were unable to secure appointments. Participation in social, learning, creative, recreational and sporting activities declined. People reported drinking more alcohol and eating less healthy food. Experts predict an increased mental and physical health burden which will play out over the next 12-18 months and will carry significant social and economic cost.
What’s the dilemma? What is Council’s role in supporting the economic and social recovery from the pandemic? What is the community’s role in supporting the COVID recovery? Will our way of life alter in the longer term because of changes brought about through the pandemic lockdown? Will people experience a delayed trauma reaction to the pandemic as happens with other large-scale disasters? What are the implications for public infrastructure if more people work from home within our shire? What will be the effect on local housing affordability if workers are less tied to their physical place of work? What are the impacts on limits to social gathering and staging of events?
These are just two examples of the eleven issues addressed in the Discussion Paper and the Survey. It’s important that many more people from the Lorne Ward participate in this survey and contribute to the planning process which will, ultimately, shape the future direction of our town and the Shire.
You can access the discussion paper here
You can access the online survey here
Remember, the Survey closes on February 28 at 9pm.
Peter Spring
Committee for Lorne
