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Strengths Of Bass Coast Highlighted In New Community Wellbeing Report

Bass Coast Shire Council has welcomed the release of a new Community Indicators Victoria (CIV) website that uses 80 indicators to measure the wellbeing of local communities.

By Bass Coast Shire Council - 18th July 2007 - Back to News

Launched this week by the Minister for Victorian Communities, it can be used as an important planning tool to improve Council’s knowledge, responsiveness, effectiveness and accountability.

According to Chief Executive Officer, Allan Bawden, the Wellbeing Reports are available for all Victorian municipalities, and can be customised and accessed by everyone.

"The report for Bass Coast showed our local community is thriving in the areas of personal wellbeing, connection to the community, feelings of personal safety and participation in arts and culture," said Mr Bawden.

"Bass Coast is rating nearly three percent above the Victorian average in terms of personal wellbeing, and over 20 percent higher in terms of citizen engagement.

"As well as highlighting the Shire’s strengths, the community indicators give us an opportunity as a whole community to better understand and respond to a range of local issues and challenges," continued Mr Bawden.

"Part of our role is to work with local communities to plan for a better future. Access to this data improves our knowledge and ability to do that more effectively."

Community wellbeing indicators provide information about a broad range of social, economic, environmental, cultural and political issues.

The indicators provide a basis for informed, engaged and integrated community planning and policy making that brings together all levels of government, communities and other organisations.

Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Neville Goodwin, said tracking change and improvement over time was an important way of measuring progress and getting practical results.

"But it must also be remembered that Bass Coast has some unique characteristics and needs that differentiate us from other areas.

"We hope this data will be used to improve community wellbeing, not create division and make unfair comparisons. That would be counter-productive.

"Knowledge and debate are important, but we hope this information places the focus on how we can all positively contribute to community initiatives," Cr Goodwin said.

For more information visit Community Indicators Victoria at www.communityindicators.net.au

COMMUNITY INDICATORS REPORT

Crime

  • The statistics on Crime do not accurately reflect the situation here. We actually have a very low level of crime.
  • These figures are expressed as a rate of 100,000 per head of population. To calculate this, Bass Coast’s figures have to be multiplied, based on our population of around 26,000. This doesn’t take into account that we have a population spike closer to 70,000 over summer.
  • Police statistics show that reported crime is actually 3.1% down on last year’s figures. Property crime was down 2%.
  • In fact, reported crimes against person in Bass Coast and South Gippsland totalled 505 last year. Bass Coast would normally account for 2/3 of these.

Food stress

  • It is of particular concern to us that our community rated above the state average in this category.
  • South coast Health Services Consortium is one of three successful Primary Care Partnerships to receive $60,000 from the Department of Human Services for a 12 month project to increase the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables by the residents of Bass Coast.
  • The objectives of the project are to:
  1. engage with stakeholders, including local fruit and vegetable suppliers, from across key areas of the community;
  2. enhance the environments to increase opportunities for fruit and vegetable consumption; and
    3.   increase the knowledge and skills of the population to buy, prepare, eat and enjoy a wide variety of fruit and vegetables.
  • Bass Coast Community Health Service has won the tender to deliver this project.

Child Health Assessment

  • We are above the state average in this area, but would definitely like to see this improve.
  • It is likely that the limited child minding opportunities in the area affect this figure.
  • Children in registered child care centres must have their immunisation up-to-date, which guarantees visits to the Maternal and Child Health service.
  • Council does offer a comprehensive immunisation program.

Transport Limitations

  • This indicator is actually not about the availability of public transport, although the limitations of public transport would certainly be reflected in the Bass Coast result.
  • Obviously, Council is very aware of the need for increased availability of public transport in our area.

Household Waste

  • These are based on 2004/05 figures.
  • Our kerbside recycling collection has gone up 10% in the last 12 months.
  • Our total tonnes to landfill has dropped 3% in the last 12 months, despite our growth rate.
  • Since 2003/04, total tonnes to landfill has dropped 14%.
  • Most metropolitan shires have a 3 bin system which includes a green waste collection.
  • If we had a green waste collection it would increase the percentage of material being recycled.
  • Our green waste is still being recycled, but it is not part of the kerbside system.
  • If it was compulsory for properties to have a recycling bin, our figure would increase.
  • All of Council’s services, including green waste collection and compulsory bins, are being reviewed as part of our new Waste Management Strategy.

 


Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com



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