Committee for Lorne: A word from the Chairman

Last Friday, the Committee for Lorne held its seventh Annual General Meeting and as we embark on our eighth year of operation, it’s a good time to reflect on the past 12 months and “reset our sights” for what may lay ahead. But there’s one thing for certain – none of this happens without the continued tireless input from so many within the Lorne Community.

Across so many organisations and groups there are so many individuals volunteering on so many different levels. From the Lorne Men’s Shedders making goal posts for our junior soccer players, our many officials and helpers around our local clubs, the team at the Lorne Community Op Shop, our State Emergency Service personnel to our awardwinning members at our local CFA it’s easy to give back to our Community when so many are doing the same.

Joining the Committee for Lorne for the first time this year we have Karen Stribling representing our young Lorne families and as an active member of the Lorne Business Tourism Association (LBTA) it is great to have another talented young female on the team. David Worth being one of Lorne’s newer permanent residents also joins the team and as treasurer of the Lorne Aquatic and Angling Club (LAAC) his passion to want to be involved in this community is inspiring.

The final new member to the team is Paul Upham whose business interests at the Lorne Hotel, a young local family and involvement with the LBTA, combine to make Paul a great acquisition to the full 12-person Committee. Outgoing members
include Karen Biggelaar – Lorne School, Graeme Norton – LAAC whom we thank for their input over recent years.

Our new members join Carly Enticott, Kate Gillan, Graham Brawn, Alain Purnell, Chris Tutungi, Ian Brown, Tony Elder – Secretary, Peter Spring – Vice Chair and me as Chairman of the elected Committee for Lorne for 2019. It is shaping as big twelve months with the review of the Lorne Strategy Plan, 2003 the “big rock” on the agenda.

For the development of a new Structure Plan for Lorne, the Committee for Lorne (CfL) has been lobbying hard to see the adoption of a governance model similar to what was used for the successful Stribling Reserve Master Planning process which proved to be a very productive partnership between the Surf Coast Shire and our local community. We recognise that a Strategy Plan is different to a Master Plan but we are hopeful that principles of “partnership” will be integral to the model that is adopted.

Members of the CfL are currently in discussions with senior Surf Coast Shire Officers, as we work to develop a governance model for the process, that the Shire are comfortable with and Lorne Community can feel part of and look to adopt as their own. As these discussions evolve, we look forward to keeping you informed of the outcomes.

In closing and on behalf of the CfL we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year and personally I would like to thank all who have supported me in this role over previous years – thank you.

Ian Stewart
Chairman – Committee for Lorne