Mayors May message 

Control/click 

May Council meeting report

A divided vote "what should we do?' and three 4 year plans sail through after you had your say. 

Michael's winter newsletter
 

 

Mayor's Message 

Published on 01 April 2021       Cntrl Click           Mayor's March 2021

Mayor Hewitson's highlights from the March meeting of Council cover three important draft plans:

• Waste Management and Resource Recovery Plan 21-25
• Climate and Energy Plan and
• Cultural Plan 21-26.

We are also seeking community feedback on the structure of Council in its Representation Review - the proposal is to reduce the number of elected members and wards within the City of Unley.

The Draft Cultural Plan and Representation Review Phase 2 community consultation are now open on Your Say Unley for your feedback.

The Draft Climate and Energy Plan and Waste Management and Resource Recovery Plan will be open for consultation from mid-April.

Watch the video and visit Your Say Unley to provide your feedback on these plans.

Dear Owners of Unley

I sent out my newsletter in ignorance.  How silly are our SA laws? In Victoria, ACT, NT and Tasmania you can ride an approved e-scooter limited like our hire scooters to 10 KPH.

Can I ride my own e-scooter?

You can only ride your privately owned e-scooter on private property - not on roads, footpaths or other public spaces. Otherwise, you may use the e-scooters owned by the operators permitted in each trial, as per applicable rules and restrictions.

If you are caught riding an e-scooter not approved for this trial you may be fined for driving an unregistered and uninsured motor vehicle $1,232.00

 Click here for more information

 With only 2,000 receiving my regular email quarterly newsletter this newsletter is being distributed to every house hold and postbox across Unley. 

We have a range of policies actions and expenditure proposals coming to final consultation I believe will shape life in our City. We are looking for community feedback and involvement in shaping our out future direction. 

Ros and I are paying for 20,000 coloured printed copies and distribution across Unley with two post codes by Australia Post and our grand children and I delivering the balance.

 

Mayor's Message - February 2021

Published on 01 March 2021                       right click      https://youtu.be/7NN_zPIWg-M

The key topic this month is the Economic Development Growth Strategy and what it means for the people and businesses of Unley. The Strategy will be open for public consultation and seeking feedback from residents and businesses during March 2021.

 

Dear Friends and Owners of Unley,

                                    2020 is behind us but the impact of COVID19 is not. We need jobs and a determination to work together. We are delighted with the support from for the Unley Central development reported in the newsletter attached.

Rates for 2022

UNLEY CENTRAL 2023

DID YOU GET YOURS?

Climate Change action

 

 Congratulations to Unley’s Isobel Marshall, Young Australian of the year.  In 2016 with Eloise Hall won our inaugural City of Unley Fish Tank, an entrepreneurship competition. “Taboo” is a great success as a business and as a leader in social justice. The village green cottages house entrepreneurial start-ups and our museum, pottery and planned gallery.

EASTERN HERALD

            With the loss of the delivered Eastern Messenger a new regional paper called the EASTERN HERALD is up and running. It is a local newspaper covering news, events and current affairs in the Adelaide Eastern Suburbs and copies can be picked up from many newsagents and shops… Unley Council also has copies at it Civic Centre and Community Centres  

 

Response to Sunday Mail Article “Council’s theft of $1m in Utilities”

14 December 2020

“Council’s Theft of $1m in Utilities” not true says Unley Council.

The Sunday Mail story about the Soldiers’ Memorial Gardens and Supreme Court proceedings brought by the Duke Group lacks balance.

Our defense was submitted to the Supreme Court on Friday 11 December, before the story was published. Here is a copy of our defense.

Council rejects and will contest for very good reason the Duke Group claim. It is in the best interests of Unley ratepayers for Council, on their behalf, to reject and defend claims such as these.

The claim involves the use of water and electricity.

Immediately after Council was approached by Griffin Lawyers on behalf of the Duke Group, we engaged an external services consultant to review, quantify and identify the source of both water and electricity used on the Soldiers’ Memorial Gardens.

With water, the report indicates the Garden always was watered through meters from Unley Road and Thomas Street. This is confirmed by SA Water documents that record quarterly usage and charges since 1996/97.

On electricity, the consultant confirms that all monument lighting was fed by a SAPN (formerly ETSA) connection. The report indicated power to the public toilets for lighting, hand dryers and a small hot water service came through the adjacent shopping centre and had likely done so since Council sold the shopping centre in 1997.

This was corrected in June 2020 immediately after it was identified. Review of daily usage and assessment of power consumption over the past 20 years by an independent expert indicates that if council was found liable to pay for the use of shopping center’s power the cost of that power is no more than $4000.

 Council offered to settle the matter ahead of court proceedings, but this was not accepted. Council will defend what it considers to be its strong position on this matter.

Mayor Michael Hewitson