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At Buloke Shire Council’s May Ordinary Meeting Council endorsed the Draft Buloke Aquatic Strategy for public exhibition, inviting community submissions prior to final consideration in August 2026.
The Strategy sets a ten-year direction for delivering sustainable, safe and accessible aquatic services across seven pools.
The Strategy balances strong community value with financial pressures, identifying the current service model as unsustainable without additional funding. It proposes operational changes such as reduced season length, adjusted opening triggers and targeted programming to improve utilisation and efficiency.
Council has accepted the proposal to rename part of Davies Street, Charlton, to Walklate Lane. This honours the late Dr Brian Walklate, who gave many years of service to the Charlton community.
The name meets state naming principles by reflecting its location near Dr Walklate’s former medical practice. A report will now be submitted to the Registrar of Geographical Names and a subsequent 30-day appeal process.
Council received the Quarter-3, 2025/26 Organisational Report, reaffirming its commitment to financial sustainability through a cash-based annual budget, referenced in the Municipal Monitor’s January 2025 recommendations.
Mayor Cr Graeme Milne thanked the staff for their work in preparing the report.
“We all understand that we're a cash neutral setup going forward which is going to limit our opportunity to renew... under the rules and regulations,” he said.
“Our financial constraints are our biggest hindrance to getting things done. Whether we get there or not, I guess it up to our own hard work and diligence.”
In thanking staff for preparing the report, Cr Milne said it provided “a clear understanding of where we’re going and what we’re trying to achieve,” and described it as a strong and useful document for Council.
Council adopted four key financial governance policies: Financial Hardship, Debtor Management, Investment, and Corporate Card, reinforcing strong, transparent and compliant financial practices.
The Financial Hardship Policy was updated in response to new Ministerial Guidelines requiring fair, compassionate and proactive support approaches before debt recovery actions.
The Debtor Management Policy strengthens timely and consistent debt recovery processes, supporting improved cashflow and reduced financial risk.
“This is basically a procedural matter which ensures that Council's got adequate ability to recover outstanding debts in a fair and consistent manner,” said Deputy Mayor Bernadette Hogan.
Collectively, the policies emphasise early engagement with debtors, structured processes and clearer timing of follow-ups aligned with legislative expectations and organisational practice.
Council noted the introduction of a hard waste trial service allowing township-based residents to place accepted items at kerbside for collection, sorting and appropriate recycling or disposal.
The trial is open to residents in Berriwillock, Nandaly and Sea Lake, with particular benefit anticipated for those who face challenges accessing Council’s transfer stations.
While Council already operates five waste facilities across the Shire, it acknowledges that transporting bulky items can still present barriers for some residents.
The Waste team will trial the service in late June and use the outcomes to assess the feasibility of a broader, ongoing hard waste service across all Buloke townships.
The next Council Meeting will be held in the Wycheproof Supper Room on Wednesday, 17 June, at 7:00 pm.
End release