Councillor talks up ward split from Surf Coast Shire
A SURF Coast Shire councillor has signalled the possible breakaway of the council’s only non-coastal ward, suggesting it may be better off in a different shire.
Winchelsea Ward councillor Heather Wellington yesterday made the surprise statement during a debate on the shire’s building of a $39.5 million aquatic centre in Torquay.
“Many people in the nonTorquay communities of the shire will view a decision to subsidise a pool in Torquay by nearly half a million dollars annually as quite unacceptable,” Cr Wellington said.
“They’re crying out in my ward for expenditure on unsealed roads and basic infrastructure, not luxury aquatic facilities.
“To me the motion really starkly reflects the misalignment in needs, objectives and expectations between the hinterland and the coast, and in my view it is time for the people of Winchelsea Ward to consider whether it’s in their interests to remain in the Surf Coast Shire.
“Many ratepayers in the rural areas of the shire believe that they are more aligned with the culture and needs of Colac Otway or Golden Plains shires, and personally I believe it’s time we started to have that debate.”
Cr Wellington made the comments after unsuccessfully moving an amendment to prevent ratepayers living more than 15km from the aquatic facility from contributing “to the funding of its operating deficit”.
Cr Wellington and fellow Winchelsea Ward councillor James McIntyre both voted against the motion to build the multimillion-dollar aquatic centre, but the motion was passed.