Council drops the ball... but can get back in the game

Council has dropped the ball but it can be fixed easily with two critical updates to the 2018/19 budget. Hear how in this match commentary

The Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Hub project is a team effort. Awesome collaboration between clubs, sports and towns across the Macedon Ranges. Self-less matchplay as each member of the team works together. Even the Federal Government has stepped up to the plate to support that team play, funding a $100,000 major study which confirmed what the community had been saying: Our region is desperately short of indoor courts and needs a multi-use-indoor stadium. Macedon Ranges Shire Council got off to a strong start by endorsing the stadium in March. Now just weeks later it appears game play has been interrupted by Council dropping the ball. Shocked spectators are aghast that there is no mention of the Hub in Council's draft budget for the year ahead. But it is not too late for Council to lift their game and get back on court. The community is calling for two critical adjustments to the draft budget in this brief submission to Council. It is not too late for Council to get back in the game.

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Director Corporate Services,

Macedon Ranges Shire Council,

PO Box 151, Kyneton VIC 3444

Email: mrsc@mrsc.vic.gov.au

Dear Sir/Madam,

I formally submit a request for the incorporation and naming of the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Hub to be included in the Macedon Ranges Sports Precinct project with the New Gisborne Sports Field as needing urgent consideration as part of the Council budget process in reference to the following documents:

Draft Budget Report 2018/19 Draft Council Plan 2017/2027 (Year 2)

Draft Strategic Resource Plan 2018/19

The No 1 priority in your Draft Council Plan is to promote health and wellbeing within our community. The Sports Precinct, including the Regional Sports Hub, is a critical enabler of this priority and thus the Regional Sports Hub should be at least referenced as part of the Sports Precinct in your plans.

The Draft Council Plan Year 2 states that extensive community consultation indicates support for investment in footpaths and bike paths. Yet, there is no mention of the fact that within the last 18 months, Council has received at least 45 letters from clubs across the region, state and national peak sports bodies, local schools and passionate concerned community members all calling for additional multi-use indoor sports facilities. Council also conducted an extensive public consultation for the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Hub funded by the Federal Government which confirmed both the urgent need and the extensive support from community clubs and associations across the region. This latest public consultation (which followed up on the 2009 feasibility study) involved community groups representing over 5300 players with their over 20,000 family members impacted by indoor court shortage in the region. Over 2100 community members also engage weekly with the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Hub Facebook group – far more than other community sports or health and wellbeing groups in the region and on a par with Council’s own social media channels. The scale of community support is unquestionable. With the upcoming federal and state elections it is essential to also include reference to the community’s support for multi-use indoor court facilities.

We therefore request that the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Precinct Project, including the Regional Sports Hub and Sport Fields, be publicly prioritised within this budget.

20 May, 2018

REQUEST FOR THE INCORPORATION OF THE MACEDON RANGES REGIONAL SPORTS HUB INTO THE COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS

Document the community support for the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Hub - as evidenced by the extensive public consultation funded by the Federal government and the many letters provided to the council in support of more indoor sporting facilities by the Macedon Ranges community
Document that the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Hub multi-use indoor stadium is a priority project along with the Gisborne Sport Fields

To enable pursuit of State and Federal funding in the upcoming elections
To commit to bringing 2023/2025 funding forward if State and/or Federal funding is made available in the next election cycle 2018/2019.

3. Commit in Council Plan to:

Advocate for funding support from all levels of government towards the Macedon Ranges Sports Precinct including provision for indoor and outdoor sporting infrastructure
Allocate funds from the $100,000 grant for ongoing costs for the Hub We request an amount of $5000 to be allocated (and managed by the council and the Indoor Advisory Group) to support a campaign to market and advocate for the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Precinct over the next 12 months (posters, signage, printing etc).

On behalf of the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Hub

macedonrangesregionalsportshub@gmail.com