Shire hall working group members named

THE former Winchelsea Shire Hall will be vacated in less than a week, and the five members of a group that will provide advice about the hall’s future have been named.

Last week, the Surf Coast Shire said the Former Winchelsea Shire Hall Community Working Group would meet for the first time before the end of April.

The Community Working Group – to be assisted by experienced facilitator Jen Lilburn – is a cross-section of community members with varying interests, such as arts and culture, business, history and tourism.

The members are Ken Daniels, David Loone, Sandra Jones, Lesley Christie and Michael Tucker.

The shire has been formally notified by the owner of the Winchelsea Tea Rooms business that they will not take up the council’s offer to continue operating in the former Shire Hall beyond Tuesday, April 30.

From May 1, the hall will be available for short-term community and commercial bookings. Bookings can be made by contacting the council on 5261 0600 or via [email protected].

Shire general manager of culture and community Chris Pike said the council was looking forward to working in partnership with the community to identify future use options for the hall.

“We’re delighted that these volunteers have put their hands up to develop locally inspired solutions for this important building.

“The extensive feedback and proposals received to date through surveys, meetings and correspondence will certainly help them with this task.”

The Former Winchelsea Shire Hall Community Working Group will provide the council with a report before the end of July outlining its preferred future use of the facility.

The establishment of the working group follows a widely advertised expression of interest process.

The shire says consultation to date includes individual meetings with community organisations, a community survey with 98 responses, a listening post, two drop-in sessions and a stakeholder workshop attended by representatives from groups such as Winchelsea Community House, Growing Winchelsea, Winchelsea Historical Society and Morning Melodies.

Individuals and groups such as Growing Winchelsea have also made representations to the council.