Baw Baw Shire Council will be popping up in Neerim South on Thursday 29 August.
Council pop-up is a rural outreach program which aims to bring Council closer to our smaller and more remote communities. It's all about making it easier for Baw Baw residents – regardless of where in the Shire they live – to speak directly to their Councillors and members of the Council team about the things that matter to them.
The pop-ups are proving increasingly popular with residents; the last session in Longwarry attracted a great turnout and engaged a host of constructive conversations across a diverse variety of community interests and concerns.
The Neerim South session will be the third instalment of the program and will provide a great opportunity for anyone in the area to pop in, have a chat, ask questions and share their views. Opening times have been extended into the evening to be more flexible around residents' school and work commitments.
Neerim South Council Pop-up
When: 4.00pm - 7.00pm on Thursday 29 August
Where: Algie Hall, 213 Main Neerim Rd, Neerim South
Later in the year the program is slated to travel to Willow Grove and Rawson. Stay tuned for dates.
As noted by Mayor Cr Mikaela Power
"No two communities are the same. Each has its own unique issues and interests. These pop-ups are a great way for people to speak to us directly and let us know the things particular to their community that are impacting their lives, day-to-day. I warmly invite everyone in the Neerim South community to come along and tell us what's on their mind."
As noted by East Ward Cr Peter Kostos
"Giving residents direct access not only to Councillors but also to members of Council's executive team and other staff is a great way for people to get their questions answered and to learn more about the ways that Council and communities can work together. It can be a useful learning experience for all involved."
As noted by East Ward Cr Darren Wallace
"From a Councillor perspective, the unvarnished face-to-face conversations we have with residents at these pop-us is so valuable. Judging from the turnouts we've had, particularly the last session in Longwarry, I think that residents are finding them valuable too. I'm looking forward to the discussions we'll have at Neerim South."
As noted by East Ward Cr Michael Leaney
"We're aware that communities outside of Drouin and Warragul can feel somewhat disconnected from Council. We're working to fix that. We want to make Council more accessible and more responsive to the needs of our smaller or more remote towns. I think these Council pop-ups are a positive step in that direction and it's great to see that they've been embraced by residents."
