Listening to the community

FROM the moment I started as a Councillor earlier this year, I’ve been keen to ensure I was a strong representative and advocate for residents within my Brownbill Ward.

That means getting out and about, visiting community groups, sports clubs, businesses, and local residents, who all do so much work to give back to their communities.

In recent weeks, I’ve had the great pleasure of visiting a number of local groups and listening to their concerns and finding out what Council can do to support them.

Over the second half of the football/netball season, I’ve spent time at local clubs like St Albans, Newcomb Power, East Geelong and Thomson, watching matches, cheering on players, and talking with club administrations and supporters.

This has included hearing from all clubs about upgrading netball courts so that they comply with Netball Victoria regulations, and the need to improve facilities in general.

East Geelong FNC is keen to improve its long term storage solutions, and Thomson FNC is keen to explore upgrading lights on its second oval to allow its women’s football team to train on the same night as the men’s squad, so that the club can integrate both programs.

I will be advocating strongly for these projects, along with all other local community and sporting projects that residents need.

Council certainly has a role to play in assisting our community with access to funding opportunities at the State and Federal government level, and in ensuring they know what they might be eligible for.

Major upgrades to sporting facilities, health hubs and community infrastructure can’t be done alone, so I look forward to working with and seeing what the state and federal governments can do to help.

Along with Council officers and Member for Geelong, Christine Couzens, I’m working to restore the vital programs that the Whittington Family and Community Hub Community once offered.

I will report back to the community on progress made in restoring these programs.

This is another crucial role of a councillor – productively working alongside State and Federal MPs to get results for the communities we serve.

In addition to this, I have been working with Council officers to progress the Aldershot Reserve Master Plan.

I speak with local residents about this reserve regularly and I’m advocating strongly for this project.

Finally, I wanted to welcome City of Greater Geelong’s new chief executive, Ali Wastie, and new Bellarine ward Councillor, Elise Wilkinson.

Ali comes to the City with a vast level of experience in the local government sector, and will be a wonderful addition to the organisation.

And I know Elise will also be a passionate advocate for her ward.

Along with Councillors Belinda Moloney and Councillor Sarah Hathway, and now Councillor Elise Wilkinson, my hope is that more women will feel confident enough to run for Council in the years ahead.

The City of Greater Geelong is committed to meeting the Victorian Government’s target of 50 per cent women councillors and mayors in the state by 2025.

 

Cr Melissa Cadwell

Brownbill Ward, City of Greater Geelong