Victorian Local Sustainability Accord Accord Update No
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Victorian Local Sustainability Accord Accord Update No. 1 19 April 2004 The Victorian Local Sustainability Accord (the Accord) is the partnership program between the Victorian State Government and local governments aimed at progressing local, regional and state-wide environmental sustainability. It was launched on 7 November 2005, at which time the Minister for Environment, together with five peak local government bodies, committed to the principles of the Accord in a Call to Action. The Call to Action invites all Victorian local governments to join with the State Government in committing to the principles and actions of the Accord. Accord Pilot Program A Pilot Program of the Accord implementation process is currently underway with the following five ‘pilot’ councils working with DSE to develop some of the key Accord actions: Moyne Shire Council; Moorabool Shire Council; Hobsons Bay City Council; Bendigo City Council; and Nillumbik City Council. A number of meetings have taken place between each of the pilot councils and DSE, and a group workshop was held in early March to develop the structure and content of the Local Environmental Sustainability Priority Statements (LESPS). All of the councils that join the Accord will participate in the development of a LESPS as part of the Accord implementation process. The pilot councils are currently working on the first draft of their LESPS and further meetings are planned between DSE, councils and relevant State agencies to further refine these documents. The Pilot Program is currently anticipated to be complete by the end of May 2006. Accord Uptake Congratulations to the further 16 municipalities that have joined the Accord by passing a resolution at Council committing to the Accord’s principles and actions. These municipalities are as follows: Murrindindi Shire Council Wyndham City Council Warrnambool City Council Darebin City Council Loddon Shire Council Frankston City Council Brimbank City Council Whitehorse City Council Boroondara City Council Buloke Shire Council Port Phillip City Council Moreland City Council Yarra Ranges Shire Greater Dandenong City West Wimmera Shire Council Council Council Knox City Council Once the Accord Pilot Program is complete, all Councils who have made a commitment to the Accord will be given the opportunity to begin the local implementation of the Accord in a staged process over a 6-12 month period. It is expected that up to 25 councils will begin the Accord implementation process during 2006. Further information on how you can join the Accord can be found in the attached information sheet “Preliminary Advice for Councils”. Also included with this document is a model resolution that may be used when taking the Accord to Council. Victorian Local Sustainability Advisory Committee Nominations for the Victorian Local Sustainability Advisory Committee (the Committee) closed on 17 February 2006 with a substantial number of local government representatives nominating for positions on the Committee. The Minister for Environment is currently assessing the nominations and candidates will be notified of the outcome of their nominations shortly. The primary role of the Committee is to provide an advisory role to the Minister for Environment and a clearinghouse for resolution of ongoing, inter-jurisdictional environmental sustainability issues between local governments and the State Government. The Committee will also provide high level oversight of the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord, to enable assessment and evaluation of Accord initiatives and issues that arise. Funding Accord Projects The Accord is supported by an allocation of $5 million from the Sustainability Fund to support projects that arise out of the implementation of Accord actions such as the development of the LESPS. The guidelines for how this funding will be allocated are currently being developed by DSE in consultation with councils, Accord Partners and Sustainability Victoria, the organisation responsible for managing the Sustainability Fund. Councils will be notified of these guidelines, once they are available, in future Accord updates. Councils should note that they are entitled to apply for the greater pool of the Sustainability Fund irrespective of their involvement with the Accord. Round 2 of the Sustainability Fund closed on 17 March 2006 and the next round of funding will be announced within the next 12 months. Details will be posted on the Sustainability Victoria website: www.sustainability.vic.gov.au, as they become available. For Further Information For more details on the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord, and how your Council can get involved, please contact Hugh Thomas at the DSE on (03) 9637 9756, or email: [email protected]. More information on the Accord can also be found at the DSE website: www.dse.vic.gov.au/Accord. For further information on local government initiatives and Accord partner organisations contact: Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), www.mav.asn.au, Ph: 9667 5555, 12/60 Collins St Melbourne, Victoria Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA), www.vlga.org.au, Ph: 9347 2233, Suite G06, 60 Leicester St, Carlton, Victoria International Council For Local Government Initiatives (ICLEI) - Local Governments for Sustainability, Australia and New Zealand, www.ICLEI-ANZ.com.au Ph: 9639 8688, Level 4, 267 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria Environs Australia (EA), www.environs.org.au, Ph: 1300 760 447, P. O. Box 232 Nerang Queensland 4211 Metropolitan Environment Forum, 9658-8417, C/- City of Melbourne, Level 7 200 little Collins, Melbourne 3000 Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), www.dse.vic.gov.au, Ph: DSE Customer Service Centre 136 186, 8 Nicholson St, East Melbourne, Victoria Published by the Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment Melbourne, April 2006 © The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment 2006 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Authorised by the Victorian Government, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne ISSN For more information contact the DSE Customer Service Centre 136 186 Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Victorian Local Sustainability Accord Accord Update No. 2 24 May 2006 The Victorian Local Sustainability Accord (the Accord) is the partnership program between the Victorian State Government and local governments aimed at progressing local, regional and state-wide environmental sustainability. It was launched on 7 November 2005, at which time the Minister for Environment, together with five peak local government bodies, committed to the principles of the Accord in a Call to Action. The Call to Action invites all Victorian local governments to join with the State Government in committing to the principles and actions of the Accord. Victorian Local Sustainability Advisory Committee As part of the implementation of the Accord, the Minister for Environment has recently established the Victorian Local Sustainability Advisory Committee. Appointments to the Committee have now been finalised and include the following members: Mr Mike Hill Chair Ms Elaine Carbines MLA Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Prof Lyndsay Neilson Secretary for the Department of Sustainability and Environment Cr Darryl Argall Shire of Hindmarsh / MAV Cr Greg Johnson Shire of Nillumbik / VLGA Cr Angela Altair City of Hobsons Bay Cr Janet Bolitho City of Port Phillip Mr Ian Morris Shire of Macedon Ranges Ms Elizabeth Hynes City of Darebin Ms Brenda Hampson Shire of Moyne The first meeting of the Committee will take place in the middle of June with meetings continuing on a bi- monthly basis until November 2008. Meeting discussions and outcomes will be included in future Accords updates. The primary role of the Committee is to provide advice to the Minister for Environment on innovations and new directions in local environmental sustainability, inter-jurisdictional issues and flagging where specific research or reports may be needed. The Committee will also provide oversight of the Accord on areas such as project proposals, institutional arrangements and assessment and evaluation of Accord initiatives and other issues that arise. Funding Accord Projects The Accord is supported by an allocation of $5 million from the Sustainability Fund to support projects that arise out of the implementation of Accord actions such as the development of the Local Environmental Sustainability Priority Statements (LESPS). DSE is currently working with the five Accord Pilot Councils and those 16 Councils that have since joined the Accord to develop individual and regional projects for funding in the first round of Accord projects to be announced in August 2006. All Councils who have joined the Accord will have the opportunity to apply for funding through the Accord with priority being given to projects which address regional issues involving a number of Councils, projects that address capacity issues particularly in rural areas and projects that show innovation in moving beyond standard Council practice. Accord Membership DSE is currently in the final stages of working