By Callum Ludwig
Yarra Ranges Council has partnered with Mornington Peninsula Council to request the State Government to reevaluate their status as metropolitan/peri-urban regions.
They want to create a new category; peri-regional, allowing access to regional funding for projects in the shire and continue to maintain green wedge protections provided for urban areas.
Mayor of Yarra Ranges Council Jim Child said a peri-regional status would better recognise the mixed metropolitan and regional makeup of the Yarra Ranges.
“Both Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Ranges have some urban townships and areas, with urban issues such as high housing prices, but we also have communities that share regional issues, such as slow internet speeds, poor public transport and socio-economic disadvantage compared to our neighbours,” he said.
“Importantly, a significant amount of funding opportunities and programs provide eligibility based on this classification and we’ve only had access to urban funding programs to deliver regional objectives and projects.”
Residing in the metropolitan area has raised a lot of issues in recent times for Yarra Ranges residents, with outrage and uproar from communities in outer areas of the shire who had to adhere to metropolitan Covid-19 restrictions in towns like Warburton and Healesville.
Cr Child said the Yarra Ranges is deserving of more support for their contribution to the state economy.
“While initiatives and occasional funding access exist to assist Interface Councils (Councils ringing around Melbourne’s metropolitan edge), many other programs that would benefit our regional communities are out of reach for us while we remain classified strictly as a metropolitan Council,” he said.
“This also impacts community groups and organisations who may deliver services to our more regional areas, but would be unable to access regional funding programs due to our classification.”
