Engaging with Village Associations – What We’ve Heard!
Published on 14 June 2024
As part of the General Manager’s ongoing commitment to meet with and strengthen community connections in our villages, Council’s General Manager Lisa Miscamble, along with the Acting Executive Officer, held a series of meetings with representatives from village associations across the Shire. These meetings are held between village associations and the General Manager every six months, with this latest round of meetings taking place on May 30 and June 4, encompassing Yerrinbool, Colo Vale, Hill Top, Balmoral, Berrima, Medway, Exeter, Penrose, Wingello, Robertson, and Burrawang.
Although representatives from Canyonleigh, Bundanoon, Avoca, and Kangaloon were unable to attend, plans are underway to reschedule these meetings.
"Engaging directly with our community representatives is vital for understanding and addressing the unique challenges each village faces," said General Manager Lisa Miscamble.
Some common themes emerged during our discussions with villages, such as road maintenance, pedestrian safety and signage requests. Positive feedback was received from many village representatives regarding interactions with Council staff members, and there was a keen interest from villages to engage more closely with staff moving forward.
Village associations also took the opportunity to share their plans for future projects, many of which will require Council’s support or assistance in finding grant opportunities. Representatives expressed interest in meeting the new grants officer and collaborating with Council staff on local history projects.
Following these meetings, we assigned actions to the relevant teams. We will keep representatives from village associations up to date on progress towards addressing the matters they have raised. We are committed to addressing outstanding items by the end of the month, ensuring thorough and effective resolution of these matters.
Lisa added, "We thank the village representatives for taking the time to meet and raise matters important to their villages. The feedback and active participation from village representatives is invaluable as we work together to enhance our community and make a positive impact locally."