Dear Friends and owners of Unley,

 

How often have you heard: “Everyone agrees with me”?  We live in a world where we are living in our own echo chambers. The Summer News discusses controversial matters that divide us as well as our Council.  I hope you enjoy the attached Summer 2024-5 Newsletter.

Rates

I went on ABC radio to discuss our Council’s decision to go to public consultation on our policy to have a financial incentive for new developments that increase the built form to achieve 15% tree canopy cover. The incentive is a 10% rate increase until the 15% is achieved. No owner of an existing property will ever pay higher rates for a lack of trees.

 I was asked; “Is Unley discouraging the development of new housing by applying a 10% rate incentive to achieve a 15% minimum tree canopy?”

Unley has been lowering our rates against CPI over the past five years by 6.72%. I postulated that Unley was a great place to do business because of our rate, even for those new developments without 15% tree canopy paying the 10% higher rate, we would be competitive.

The result: We are.

Unley was found to have a lower minimum residential rate in the dollar than all surrounding council areas.

Simply put, the Tree Offset Scheme does not make it more expensive to purchase a high-rise apartment in Unley, in fact, even with the extra 10% charge incurred, rates are still lower than the average of all surrounding council areas.

Comparison of Unley residential rate and average rate of surrounding council areas

From this, it was concluded that the rates payable on a new property in Unley which does not have 15% tree canopy cover (therefore incurred the extra 10% charge), were still comparatively cheaper than rates would be in surrounding council areas without the extra 10% charge.

These figures present a strong argument that it is not unreasonable to include all high-rise buildings and apartments in Unley’s Tree Offset Scheme proposal. Our Unley Central development will have >15% tree canopy, so rates will be more than 10% lower than the average of surrounding councils.

With my best wishes,

                          Michael

Mayor Michael Hewitson AM

 

Dear Friends and Owners of Unley,

 I am hoping that 2,000 Unley people will tell us what you wish us to do for Australia Day, 2025.  Ctrl/Click here Australia Day 2025... Three yes/ no questions

Please have your say. Your Council voted unanimously asking just three questions.. Your responses are confidential, and I am so pleased that Unley Council you to have your say.

I hope you enjoy the 2024 Spring Newsletter and I thank you for the many emails from you sending pictures and ideas.

Unley Road is a traffic jam. Cars turning right block the RH lane, and buses and others parked block the left-hand lane. Some cyclists are concerned because of a premature news release of a 2001 plan. This plan removed the gutter bicycle lanes from Unley Road.

If we can implement the plan, I believe it would be a win for all, cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists.  Please find attached the plan, and why we all win.

Yes, if you disagree, I would love to know why.

Mayor Michael Hewitson

 

Dear Friends and Owners of Unley,

I hope you enjoy the winter news with just a taste of things happening in Unley…. Including Free event on Unley Oval May 4^th.

There is so much happening in our budget that all I have done is indicated that for the fifth year our rate rise is below expected CPI. Yet we are delivering so much that I encourage you to open the link and explore. (Right Click and then open the link.

2024 2025  Budget for Consultation

The residential rates across Unley have decreased by 5.5% after inflation over the past five years. This year the budgeted rate rise is 3.75%. We believe this may also be below inflation. Our Council costs and salaries are very much tied to inflation so the reduction of debt from around $14M to $4M whilst providing excellent services underlines the great management here in Unley.  My thanks and congratulations to  our to our staff, volunteers and my fellow Councillors. 34% of our residents are renters, and not so because they are rich. With high inflation, rising electricity costs, I am proud that our Council is presenting the budget for consultation.  

2019 -20	2020 - 21	2021 -22	2022 - 23	2023-24	Financial Year
17001	17072	17514	17569	17638	Number of Residences
$32,006,234.00	$32,268,792.00	$33,233,654.00	$34,892,919.00	$37,040,475	Total rate paid
$             1,882.61	$          1,890.16	$      1,897.55	$         1,986.05	$             2,100.00	Average
113.7	114.6	117.8	122.7	132.4	CPI for year	March -March
2.90%	0.40%	0.39%	4.66%	5.74%	Average rate rise
1.80%	2.40%	2.79%	4.70%	7.91%	%CPI	March -March
1.10%	-2.00%	-2.40%	-0.04%	-2.17%	Rate rise after Inflation	-5.50%

 

However, the bottom line is Councils are about people and the future liveability of Unley. We are developing our plan to 2050 and our shaping Unley tree canopy on private property shows that we received 668 individual submissions from you asking for a minimum % tree canopy on ALL development sites that increase the building footprint. Our planet is getting hotter, and people die when the temperature is in the 50’s and you cannot afford air-conditioning.

With my thanks for your involvement and concern,

best wishes,

                          Michael

 

Dear Friends and owners of Unley,

I hope you enjoy the Autumn news attached along with the links for more information.

 Flooding

In one way we were lucky, we had a November rain event that dropped in a few hours of rain at the once-in-220-years rate.

We were already undertaking an analysis of solutions and some properties were flooded. The estimated cost to fix the lot is over $39 Million. We have already spent about $7 million on capital works including the very successful Ridge Park dam. At our February meeting, we will receive a Council report with our flooding recommendations and plans. This will miss my Autumn newsletter so if you want an immediate update please ask to be put on my flood email group. It is a complex issue because a lot of our creek system is privately owned, and if the owners allow it to become overgrown, or make dam-like infills, their property will flood.

 

e-scooters

 

By the time you read this e-scooters for hire will have been removed from Unley with a Council vote of 6-5. The main problem in Unley is we have lots of narrow footpaths and the e-scooters often fall over and become tripping hazards, especially at night. However, more people are now using the e-scooters to go to work than walk to work so many will wish we were continuing. The State Government is considering allowing privately owned e-scooters. Because we have 40 kph local roads these scooters could use the roadway rather than the footpath.

With my best wishes,         Michael

 

Dear Friends and Owners of Unley,

 Summer is coming and Unley continues to lose trees. Unless we change what we are doing, the children of Unley will experience summer days of well over 50°C temperature. 12°C hotter than now. In the newsletter are letters from residents putting the Council on the spot.    “If council members are worried about losing votes for this charge, I can assure you that there would be an equal, if not greater, number of residents who would give their total support, who in fact are crying out for action! So, what are you, as the mayor, planning to do about it?”  The link for the answer is a click on  Inner Suburban Tree Canopy – Let’s Get Real!  We require the SA Minister for Planning’s signature to implement our City of Unley proposed solution.

Some good news…

Open Space:  Council has recognised that the biggest unfunded need caused by the high rise and infill growth is our reducing open space / per person….   See the newsletter story and our solution to meet this need.

The Parking plan for all of Unley :

$3,000 and $6,000 grants available to many Unley residents.

Footpath Budget review:

 A great annual family event is coming on Sunday, December 10^th.  Christmas is coming fast and our Unley Rotary Club is running our Christmas Carols in the Memorial Gardens. We owe so much to those in Unley who voluntarily give to make Unley a joyful place to live, share, and enjoy. Thank you, Unley Rotary.

Wishing you all a joyful,  wonder-filled Christmas, a relaxed summer season, and a prosperous new Year,

 With my best wishes,

                          Michael

 

Dear Friends and Owners of Unley,

You may think that the hottest event is the unprecedented 46°C temperatures in the European cities. The TV pictures show lots of baking houses and very, very, few trees. The hottest until our summer seems to be……

Following publication in the Advertiser, the Council and Mayor have received many complaints about Council holding our Australia Day Citizens’ ceremony on the evening before.

 The facts,

·                       The date of Australia Day is a Commonwealth responsibility, not the Local Government.

·                       The Commonwealth gave us the decision to make as to whether to hold our Citizenship ceremony                     on any one of three days.

·                       The elected Council on behalf of our community voted 7-5 to hold the Citizenship ceremony the                         evening before in Jan  2024

·       For 2025 Council will need to decide once again what to do.

I was asked, “ Shouldn’t you consult and find out what your community wants?” Answer: Our Unley residents can contact their local Ward Councillor. Our Councillors listen. However, whatever Council decides, it tends to be only those who disagree who speak up.

·       Australia Day celebrations these days are rightly far more inclusive of Aboriginal communities and issues.

We have much to celebrate as a multicultural democratic nation. I am glad I was born an Australian Citizen, and I am pleased to welcome others who wish to join us.

With my best wishes,

                                        Michael