By JESSE GRAHAM
COMMUNITY groups in the hills will have funding certainty for the coming three years, after Yarra Ranges councillors unanimously passed partnership grants last week.
At their meeting on Tuesday, 9 June, councillors unanimously endorsed the council’s 2016 partnership grants, which will provide funds to 40 community groups across the shire.
The groups will share in $748,762 in funding over the coming three years, after having applications to the council reviewed by an expert panel of two members and a Yarra Ranges manager.
Belgrave Survival Day will receive $30,000 in the grants, while the Dandenong Ranges Music Council Inc will receive $111,000 for developing its music-based activities.
Emergency relief organisations also fared well in the funding pool, with the Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service Inc (DRERS) being awarded $73,902.
The money will help DRERS to continue employing a qualified manager to supervise about 60 volunteers at the organisation, who help about 150 people per month with relief services.
Yarra Ranges mayor, Maria McCarthy, said the funding meant that groups across the Yarra Ranges could have certainty of being funded for the coming years.
“It will enable council to work more closely with these groups – to help them provide the services and skills they need, to support what they’re trying to achieve for their groups,” Cr McCarthy said.
At the Yarra Ranges Council meeting, Cr Len Cox said the funding acknowledged the work of volunteers and those in community groups in the area.
“We get better value for money for this than anything else we do,” he said.
“It’s council’s move to help the community and community groups to do the things they think ought to be done, and will improve living in our community generally.
“Every one of them is worthwhile.”
Community houses across the shire also received funding under the grants, though Cr Noel Cliff noted that the funding varied from group to group, ranging from $13,000 to $62,000.
A council representative at the meeting, responding to Cr Cliff, said there was a plan to make funding for community houses more ‘equitable’ in the future.
For a full list of recipients, visit www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au.
