Big year ahead
Now that the kids have gone back to school and the rest of us are back at work after celebrating a fantastic Australia Day the hard work ahead of us this year has begun in earnest.
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This will be a big year for Dubbo Regional Council and one of many changes both internally and externally.
While these changes are happening Council will continue to deliver high level services to the community.
Some of the projects that Council will be undertaking this year include the beautification of the Wellington CBD, village street sealing in Wongarbon, Ballimore, Brocklehurst and Eumungerie and the runway strengthening project at Dubbo City Regional Airport.
Another major aim of the new council is to unify services across the local government area and this has already started happening with customer service, ranger services and the new Dubbo Regional Sports Council which will hold its first annual general meeting on 7 February.
All this work is being done to ensure we have a strong and unified Council as we head into the local government elections which will be held on 9 September, 2017.
I must congratulate everyone who has been working so hard behind the scenes to improve Council services and to ensure that everything will be in order when the new council takes over in September to lead the region into the future. By the time the election happens Council will be reshaped and more modernised, ready to provide the best services possible to the community.
Canberra flights take off
The first Fly Pelican direct Canberra to Dubbo flights take off today cementing Dubbo’s position as an important regional centre.
With already strong business connections between Canberra this service supports both the business and leisure markets with only a one hour flight making Dubbo all the more accessible than travelling by road.
The Dubbo community continues to support the growth of air services to and from Dubbo with monthly records of passenger numbers regularly being broken and consistent year on year increases.
I will be at the airport today to welcome the first guests from Canberra and I am certain they will enjoy the many wonderful attractions Dubbo has to offer.
Financial assistance
Dubbo Regional Council invites eligible community organisations to take advantage of its Financial Assistance Program and apply for a share in $15,000. Council dedicates $30,000 to the Community Financial Assistance Program each year to help ease the burden of not-for-profit organisations that contribute to our community. This $15,000 is the second round of funding for the 2016 – 2017 financial year.
If you are part of a not-for-profit organisation in Wellington, Dubbo or surrounding villages I encourage you to apply.
Recipients of the last round included the Wellington Information and Neighbourhood Centre who received $1200 to put on a Christmas dinner for the community’s most vulnerable, the Akela Place Playgroup who received $500 to help buy educational equipment and the Mumbil District Progress Association who receive $500 to help fund activities for children in the village. Applications close 5pm Friday 3 March.
Citizens of the Year
A big thank you to all who made the Australia Day ceremonies in Dubbo and Wellington such a great success and my congratulations to everyone who was awarded an honour.
It is always great to meet so many people who give their time to making our communities a better place to live.
Dubbo’s citizens of the year were Mick O’Neill, Chayan Deb Nath, Sharon Andrews, Jordan Moran, Jessie Rice-Ward and Barbara Redgrave.
