By JESSE GRAHAM
YARRA Ranges Council is reaching out to residents with videos over social media, putting faces to some of the names behind council’s closed doors.
Mayor Maria McCarthy said she had been working on videos with the council’s directors, in order to explain the organisation’s inner workings and processes to residents.
The council’s latest video, featuring Corporate Services director Troy Edwards, focuses on rate capping, which is expected to come in state-wide as part of next year’s budgets.
Under the new system, promised by the current government before last year’s election, rate increases will be capped at inflation, or the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
“We believe the rate cap will bring some greater certainty to the community about (rate) increases, but will also bring with it some financial challenges for the sector,” Mr Edwards said in the video.
“One of the ways we’re preparing to handle those financial challenges is through our business excellence program – that’s an internal program designed to really ask questions about are we delivering value for money; are these services important, or are there other ways of doing business?”
Cr McCarthy said the videos were designed so residents could have an “understanding” that council was listening to the community “but also that we’re governing properly”.
Residents will also be able to put faces to the names that often appear in council and media reports.
“It’s to get our faces out there and our story out,” she said.
“That way, then people can see that the organisation is here for our community, not just the organisation.”
The videos can be viewed below, on the Yarra Ranges Council Facebook page at the council’s Facebook page or at its YouTube channel.
What do you think of council’s videos? Are there topics you would like to see covered, or questions you’d like to see answered?
Write us a letter to the editor at editor@mailnewsgroup.com.au or at 244 Maroondah Highway, Healesville.
