Petition urges shire to clean up its act in Winchelsea

MORE than 270 people have urged the Surf Coast Shire to improve the mowing and maintenance arrangements in Winchelsea, claiming the town’s presentation has been “unsatisfactory and embarrassing” for months.

The petition, titled ‘Keep Winchelsea tidy and smart’, was submitted to the Surf Coast Shire in late November and was considered by the council at its December 8 meeting.

The 276 signatories to the petition state they are “very unhappy with the presentation of our town”.

“We understand that shire arrangements for mowing and gardening crews have recently changed and the difference is very noticeable.

“The dedicated local employees who used to manage gardening and mowing took pride in their work and did a great job. Now we are part of a rotating crew arrangement.

“For two to three months, the presentation of the town has been unsatisfactory and embarrassing to us.

“The grass in our public areas has reached 30cm high, people have been afraid to walk by the river for fear of snakes, numerous people have complained, finally a maintenance crew has blitzed the town, then the cycle starts again.

“This is not good enough. We should not have to complain before we get some action.”

The petitioners say Winchelsea needs to be presented well to encourage people to stop and support the town’s businesses and to “protect our reputation”.

The petition calls on the shire to do three things:

• Reinstate the local gardening and mowing team
• Disclose what standards apply to the maintenance of Winchelsea’s lawns and gardens (including how frequently they are supposed to be attended to) and how their appearance is monitored; and
• Maintain the town at a good standard all the time “so we don’t have to complain constantly”.

The petition was referred to the shire’s general manager of culture and community Chris Pike, with a report to be presented at the council meeting on January 19, 2021.