#YRCRangerTweets ~ Yarra Ranges Update

#YRCRangerTweets ~ Yarra Ranges Update:


"Our Local Laws Rangers respond to a wide range of animal related issues across the Yarra Ranges every single day. And now, for the first time ever, residents can catch a glimpse of the team in action... all without stepping away from their keyboard.
From Tuesday, residents will be able to use social media to follow the movements of a Local Laws ranger as they attend to animal issues in the community.

Local Laws ranger Eloise will be using our Twitter account (@yrcouncil) to “live-tweet” her experiences from Tuesday 30 April until Tuesday 7 May.

Tweets composed by Eloise will include the hashtag: “#YRCRangerTweets” "

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Changes to Fire Services Levy ~ Yarra Ranges Update

Changes to Fire Services Levy ~ Yarra Ranges Update:



 "The effects of the 2009 bushfires continue to be far reaching with the Royal Commission’s findings changing the way we look at fire management.
From July 1, 2013, the State Government will no longer collect its fire services levy though home insurance premiums. Instead, the Government has developed a property-based levy."

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Metropolitan buses - Public Transport Victoria

Metropolitan buses - Public Transport Victoria:

 "Metropolitan buses Coldstream"

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New levy: Will all insurers meet the deadline?

New levy: Will all insurers meet the deadline?:

 "Zurich and Allianz have declared policyholder premiums will fall once the current Fire Service Levy expires in July.

Both insurers confirmed that their premiums will fall to zero on from next Wednesday (1 May) to reflect the replacement of the existing levy with the property-based levy scheme which comes into force on 1 July."


Comment: GREAT NEWS

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Yarra Ranges Recycling: a trove for bargain hunters | Maroondah & Yarra Ranges Weekly

Yarra Ranges Recycling: a trove for bargain hunters  | Maroondah & Yarra Ranges Weekly:

 "The shop, which opened earlier this month, recovers reusable and saleable materials and products from general waste and on-sells them at cheap prices, to help reduce landfill. 

Yarra Ranges Recycling Coldstream is at Ingram Road, Coldstream"

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Supermarket plan faces hurdles | Mountain Views Mail

Supermarket plan faces hurdles | Mountain Views Mail:

"DESPITE more than 1000 residents and at least 40 businesses in support of a new supermarket in Warburton, councillors have been advised to reject its planning application at this Tuesday’s meeting."

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Essential Country » Glory Days at Flowerfield – Coldstream

Essential Country » Glory Days at Flowerfield – Coldstream: 
"Glory Days at Flowerfield – Coldstream"


The Lithgow family has run the beautiful historic property of Flowerfield as a prominent pastoral enterprise and social hub in the Yarra Valley....

Comment:  a great historic piece with stunning pictures.

Changes to fire services levy put the pressure on insurance companies

Changes to fire services levy put the pressure on insurance companies:

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Insurance companies will have to inform policyholders of how changes to the fire services levy will affect premiums or risk heavy fines under new guidelines.

Under the Fire Services Levy Monitor's draft guidelines, insurers that fail to disclose how premiums were determined or that try to exploit prices and deceive consumers could be hit by fines of up to $10 million.

The levy helps to fund firefighting services and historically it has been collected by insurance companies on home and contents and commercial insurance policies.

But this was changed after recommendations from the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. Under the new scheme, which will come into effect on July 1, local councils will be responsible for collecting the levy from ratepayers.

Advertisement

Insurance companies collected about $550 million through the levy in 2012-13, which should fall out of the industry's revenue in 2013-14, the draft guidelines say.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/changes-to-fire-services-levy-put-the-pressure-on-insurance-companies-20130417-2i0lr.html#ixzz2QlEdq3vW

Opinion New rules ensure our fire cover - Weekly Times Now

Opinion New rules ensure our fire cover - Weekly Times Now: "THERE are good reasons behind changes to the State Government's fire services levy, writes Treasurer MICHAEL O'BRIEN"

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Yarra Ranges urged to rethink rates rise | Maroondah & Yarra Ranges Weekly

Yarra Ranges urged to rethink rates rise | Maroondah & Yarra Ranges Weekly:


comment
Cr Andy Witlox said: ‘‘We're not growing; we have a population growth of zero.’’ 

This is so true: we need an injection of population in the shire. I have been saying this for more than a decade and have suggested that the urban growth boundary around Coldstream be expanded. Coldstream has a primary school, sport club, CFA and a supermarket that could do with an influx of people and ratepayers. 
The size of Coldstream could double without much council expense but could see more than 1000 more properties pay rates.

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Healthy Living in Yarra Ranges | Yarra Ranges Views

Healthy Living in Yarra Ranges | Yarra Ranges Views:

Yarra Ranges Council seeks your feedback and advice for the Health and Wellbeing Plan (2013-2017)

What's your experience of healthy living in Yarra Ranges? How healthy are you and your family?Can you access the services you need, the fresh food you want and low cost exercise activities?

Your input will help Council to target resources to support good health, plan for our services and, importantly, advocate to state and federal governments about local needs. 

Yarra Ranges urged to rethink rates rise

Yarra Ranges urged to rethink rates rise | Maroondah & Yarra Ranges Weekly:

Comment:
a great read
a great reason to expand Coldstream

Lets have 1000 more houses around Coldstream
that's 1000 more rates to be collected
that's MILLIONS of dollars to spend in the Shire.

$53 Million to help Shires with FSL Introduction on July 1 2013

Fire levy to take $50 million extra from ratepayers | thetelegraph.com.au:

 "Mr O'Brien said the Government was providing $53 million to help local councils implement and collect the levy, and to appoint a Fire Services Levy Monitor."

Comment:

From the article above and the $53 million up for grabs I wondered what our Shire would get.

Below is a response from Glenn Patterson,  CEO Yarra Ranges:

Hi Mario

The State Revenue Office’s letter of the 25 March advised that the Department of Treasury and Finance is still consulting with the MAV to determine the amounts of directing funding to councils. So at this stage we have no idea what we will get for implementation and recurrent cost reimbursement.

So far the State has directly funded an upgrade of council IT systems and is working with the MAV to ensure the centralised upgrade is developed and installed.

Other things that the State has committed to do directly are:

·         A comprehensive communication campaign over the coming months

·         Suppling a brochure for inclusion with the first rate notice

·         Coordinating customer service and rate office staff training at each council office.

I am guessing that with the State funding a number of larger items directly, the amount we are likely to receive will not be that large.

Happy for you to publish this.

Glenn

Regards Glenn Patterson Chief Executive Officer P:   (03) 9294 6101 M:  0428 515603 F:   (03) 9294 6194 E:   g.patterson@yarraranges.vic.gov.au W:  www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au please consider the environment before printing this email

Coldstream's Rochford Winery given approval to increase the size of concerts after cap removed | Leader Newspapers East Melbourne | Local Community News VIC | Knox Leader | Manningham Leader | Maroondah Leader | Whitehorse Leader | Waverley Leader | Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader | Free Press Leader | Herald Sun

"ROCHFORD Wines has been given approval to increase the size of its popular concert series."

..................  in part


Councillor Fiona McAllister said this had affected the ability of Rochford to attract events, which in turn had impacted on visitation numbers to the area and the local economy.

"We can't ignore the fact that tourism is a significant contributor to the culture, the vibrancy and the local economy," Cr McAllister said.

The council received more than 90 submissions supporting the application and only two objections.

Averages\Extremes Weather for the month of March 2013 for Coldstream 3770

Average temperature     = 19.9°C

Average humidity        = 64%

Average dewpoint        = 12.0°C

Average barometer       = 1015.3 hPa

Average windspeed       = 3.1 km/h

Average gustspeed       = 5.7 km/h

Average direction       = 55° ( NE)

Rainfall for month      = 42.2 mm

Rainfall for year       = 117.0 mm

Maximum rain per minute = 1.0 mm on day 16 at time 15:16

Maximum temperature     = 38.2°C on day 11 at time 16:47

Minimum temperature     = 5.8°C on day 29 at time 06:27

Maximum humidity        = 97% on day 31 at time 09:01

Minimum humidity        = 22% on day 04 at time 18:46

Maximum dewpoint        = 19.6°C on day 08 at time 11:03

Minimum dewpoint        = 4.6°C on day 17 at time 12:16

Maximum pressure        = 1024.0 hPa on day 02 at time 10:36

Minimum pressure        = 999.1 hPa on day 21 at time 17:07

Maximum windspeed       = 25.9 kmh from 360°( N ) on day 27 at time 15:44

Maximum gust speed      = 50.0 km/h from 00°( N ) on day 27 at time 16:15

Maximum heat index      = 38.4°C on day 08 at time 15:32

Avg daily max temp :27.5°C

Avg daily min temp :12.6°C

Total windrun = 2275.1km

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Robert Bethell