[YarraBUG-list] Have your input into “Help shape Yarra’s future” by Thursday 11 May 2017

[YarraBUG Admin]

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*Have your input into “Help shape Yarra’s future” by Thursday 11 May 2017
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http://www.yarrabug.org/2017/05/08/input-help-shape-yarras-future-thursday-11/*
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It is absolutely vital we make submissions about bicycle infrastructure 
funding to Yarra Councils 2017/18 draft budget and if possible, 
personally speak to these submissions at a Special Council Meeting on 17 
May at Richmond Town Hall

Read below for our responses to the Draft Council Plan, Draft Annual 
Budget and Proposed Waste Service Charge and please feel free to use, 
expand these and add your own to the Submission Form:

 >>>> http://www.yoursayyarra.com.au/shape-yarra-future

*Draft Council Plan 2017–21*

A problem with any Draft Council Plan is that bicycle infrastructure 
funding is not automatically included in annual council budgets. In 
order to permanently fund bicycle infrastructure, future Yarra Council 
budgets should include this requirement as standard operating procedure 
so that projects and funding can not be politicised, as has occured in 
previous years.

The Draft Council Plan has many positive goals, including community 
education for all road users, high priority for bikes, walking tracks 
and facilities and encouraging using public transport, walking or 
cycling as the first choice of transport (Liveable Yarra community survey)

However these can not be achieved unless there is a serious change in 
thinking within council and real goals are applied, including the Bike 
Strategy Refresh (2016).

Yarra has the highest cycling participation rates in Australia with near 
10% of residents riding daily, with a growing population and increased 
pressure on local transport and planning, Yarra Council must:

  * integrate and complement sustainable transport solutions with an
    emphasis upon developing walking and cycling routes that are safe
    for ages "8 to 80",
  * develop safe routes to school, eg: riding routes to the new Richmond
    High School,
  * construct seperated on-road routes, eg: finishing the Wellington St
    separated lanes, this is a vital infrastructure framework for trips
    within and through Yarra,
  * create more secure bike parking along main streets and trip
    destinations,
  * network with nearby councils and state government to plan, fund and
    build overdue local infrastructure,
  * In regards to improved shared path connections and signage, Yarra
    Council should consider networking with local councils to share
    maintenance and wayfinding information

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*Draft Annual Budget 2017-18*

The Strategic Transport budget allocates $821K towards bicycle 
infrastructure, of which, $500K is for the completion of Wellington St 
and $90K is combined bicycle network program and bicycle parking.

These figures illustrate the requirement for a more accurate funding 
breakdown, which in turn can be used to show Service Performance 
Indicators for how Yarra Councils bicycle infrastructure goals will be 
achieved.

Overall the bicycle infrastructure spend for 2017/18 has decreased yet 
again, when compared to Yarra Councils Roadworks budget ($8.4M), given 
that existing cycling projects take up bulk of allocated funding 
(Wellington Street, Rushall Reserve, Coulson Reserve), with a relatively 
small figure remaining to consider any Bike Strategy Refresh (2016) 
projects or additional bicycle network program and bicycle parking works.

Yarra Councils Draft Budget should be amended to accurately reflect 
residents usage patterns of near 10% riding to work, eg: an additional 
$800K in the Draft Council Plan 2017–21.

*Proposed Waste Service Charge**
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This proposed charge has been highly contentious among Yarra residents. 
However, like all other Victorian councils, Yarra is under a rates cap 
from State government.

Write how you feel about this charge, maybe you have other worthwhile 
suggestions for council to source funding?


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*Make a submission*

You can contribute between Thursday 6 April and 5pm, Thursday 11 May 
(extended deadline) in a number of ways:

Via the online submission form:

http://www.yoursayyarra.com.au/shape-yarra-future

You can email submissions to: info at yarracity.vic.gov.au

Or Post to: Yarra City Council

Attention: Your Say Yarra consultation
PO Box 168
Richmond VIC 3121

*Speak to your submission*

Council will hear and consider verbal submissions at a Special Council 
Meeting at 6.30pm on Wednesday 17 May at Richmond Town Hall.

If you lodge a submission before the extended deadline (11 May), and 
your submission included an intention to speak in support of it (or have 
someone else speak on your behalf) you will be given an opportunity to 
do so at this meeting. We will advise you of this process after your 
written submission is received.



-- 
*Listen to Yarra Bicycle Users Group Radio <http://www.yarrabug.org/radio/>*
*Every Monday morning 10am on 3CR 855AM Community Radio 
<http://www.3cr.org.au/>*
*web <http://www.yarrabug.org/>**| **facebook 
<https://www.facebook.com/YarraBUGRadio/>**| **twitter 
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