Well, it’s been just over a month since the new Council was sworn in and we have all certainly hit the ground running – especially our new Councillors. They are being brought up to speed on a huge number of strategies, projects and initiatives at a rapid pace and are taking it all in their stride. There is also plenty of work going on behind the scenes, planning for the year ahead. Our December Council Meeting is being held tomorrow (Wednesday) and has a pretty full agenda – feel free to tune into the meeting via our livestream – you can find the link at www.basscoast.vic.gov.au/2020meetings.

Earlier this year, Council nominated Phillip Island’s Mat Bowtell for the Leadership and Innovation Award at the Victorian Regional Achievements and Community Awards – and he won! Mat also took out the overall award of Regional Achiever of the Year – a massive achievement. These awards acknowledge role models, who through their leadership, innovation and driving force pave the way for others to follow. For those who don’t know Mat, in 2017, he established Free 3D Hands, a charity that provides open-source 3D printed hands and assistive devices for people around the world, for free. Not only does Mat work tirelessly creating and designing these devices, he also makes his designs available for free too, which means they can be manufactured by anyone with a 3D printer. Congratulations Mat, you truly are a local hero, and so deserving of this recognition.

Hospitality businesses across the Shire are making the most of outdoor dining opportunities, with the help of Council and funding from the State Government. You might have already seen the parklet at The Inlet at Inverloch, which allows the business to seat 48 more customers each night – which is sure to make a huge difference as they work hard to recover from the pandemic. We will also have some fantastic outdoor dining spaces for the community to use and enjoy, opening up just in time for the busy school holiday period. These temporary spaces will be set up in locations across the Shire, including at Olive Justice Place in Cowes and in the Grantville and San Remo town centres. What a great way to drive visitation and encourage everyone to shop locally this summer.