Shire of Corrigin & Corrigin CRC Newsletter - Edition No.1 - 01 August 2016

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Rob Paull
The Shire President is
taking a well-earned
break and which gives
me the opportunity to
provide a few words on
behalf of the Shire.
I firstly want to thank
everyone who has
made my wife and I feel
so welcome in the
Corrigin community.
We have met wonderful
people who continue to
make our Wheatbelt-
change a fantastic and rewarding experience.
I have really enjoyed being involved with community
events and groups including (but definitely not limited to)
Corrigin Rotary, Tidy Towns, Red Cross, sporting clubs
and the District High School. I have been ‘blown away’
with the infrastructure and services that have been
established and continue to be maintained by Council. The
challenge faced in meeting the expectations of the
community cannot be understated.
In my first days and weeks as CEO, I sought to meet and
listen to staff, with the community and other organisations
about what it means to live in the Shire, what you love
about the town and rural environs, our key strengths and
what needs to be improved. This community is full of
creative, robust, talented, passionate people who care
deeply about their community, the quality of life and strong
desire to develop a sustainable future for all.
At the end of 10 months I fully appreciate that there are a
lot more conversations I need to have and a lot more
listening that I need to do.
I recognise that a key issue for all is financial sustainability.
This is even more so for local governments like the Shire
where we have a relatively small income from rates in
comparison with the money needed to keep our
community services functioning. Council has worked very
hard in this area but we are facing very uncertain times. As
the Shire President has mentioned before, 1% of rates
only generates approximately $20,000 !
Corrigin has an aging population with many on fixed and
limited incomes, which means the capacity to pay rates,
user fees and to meet the basics of life is challenging.
Reductions in indexation of Financial Assistance Grants
and service agreements, reflects the reality that as a
community, we cannot rely on government grants.
Organisationally, there is a continuing focus on our overall
community engagement and customer service. Our staff
do a fantastic job but there are areas where we can make
experiences with Council better. The challenge is to
streamline our processes but still meet our increasing
governance obligations under legislation.
Through the ‘Shire Survey’, improved Website, ‘revamped’
Newsletter in the Windmill, we are seeking to ensure that
the community is better consulted and that you are aware
of Council’s decisions.
So, thanks for reading this and for the welcome.
Cheers
Rob
Cr Lyn Baker - SHIRE PRESIDENT 9065 7053 0427 097 141
Cr Des Hickey - DEPUTY PRESIDENT 9063 2455 0428 751 024
Cr Matt Dickinson 9063 2189 0428 632 013
Cr Shannon Hardingham 0427 630 063
Cr Janeane Mason 9063 2138 0417 095 804
Cr Brian Praetz 9883 7550 0418 927 211
Cr Terry Pridham 9063 2532 0429 192 659
Know Your Councillors...
Your Councillors are elected by you to represent the town’s residents and ratepayers. If you wish to discuss
a Council matter, offer any suggestions, have compliments, concerns or feedback, we want to hear from you.
MESSAGE FROM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Strengthening our community now to grow and prosper into the future
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