It was a great night for the region at the LGPro Awards for Excellence on Thursday night, with East Gippsland Shire Council bringing home two award wins and a highly commended.
The LGPro Awards for Excellence promote and celebrate the outstanding work being undertaken and delivered by individuals and teams working in local government in Victoria. The awards span11 categories and East Gippsland had success in the following:
- Award win: Innovative Management Initiative - Data Centre and ICT Footprint Consolidation (Shared Service Initiative), a project with Wellington Shire Council.
- Award win: Community Assets & Infrastructure Initiative (projects $5 million and under) - Genoa Pedestrian Bridge rebuild following the 2019-20 Black Summer Bushfires, a project supported by the Genoa community.
- Highly commended: Community Partnerships Initiative - the Tambo Crossing Community Facility, a new facility built working with the Tambo Crossing community following the 2019-20 Black Summer Bushfires.
Mayor Cr Tom Crook said the recognition among 79 peer councils, including some with significantly more resources, was a credit to Council's staff and contractors and the work everyone does to deliver great projects and services for the community.
"To win two awards and be highly commended in another is significant," Cr Crook said.
"What is more significant is that these projects are making a significant difference to our community, and how we do our business in supporting our communities."
Cr Crook said the Data Centre and ICT Footprint Consolidation project, in partnership with Wellington Shire Council, was a significant project that is not necessarily visible to the community.
"It's a great example of the behind-the-scenes work local government does to support community and continually look at improvements and efficiencies," Cr Crook said.
"It has improved business efficiencies and helps both councils appropriately and effectively manage compliance and legislative obligations, and business and audit requirements. It will also ensure we can continue to service our communities during times of natural disasters such as fire and flood by using sharing technology platforms and private microwave communication networks across the two neighbouring shires."
The $1.5 million Genoa Pedestrian Bridge project was fully funded by Council.
"The bridge is an important part of life in Genoa. After the loss of the bridge in the 2019-20 fires, we all knew a rebuild was needed. It was a community priority and Council made it a priority," Cr Crook said.
The 'highly commended' recognition for the Tambo Crossing Community Facility also shone the State spotlight on how Council worked with local people to bring a community-identified need to fruition.
The facility includes purpose-built, multi-use, accessible facility that will be a place for the community, emergency services, industry groups, and service clubs to come together and deliver services to support community connections.
"The facility is a reflection of the community's hard work in promoting and developing the idea and it highlights the importance of having a 'hub' for people to meet, connect and support each other," Cr Crook said.
"As a Council we found a way to ensure thecommunity received a fit-for-purpose facility. We are also proud of ourinvolvement in seeing the project get off the ground, and to deliver the buildwith our in-house team."
Cr Crook congratulated all other award winners, and extended his appreciationto the communities, contractors, staff and funding partners involved in thevarious projects.
In 2021, Council also won awards for Service Delivery (Mobile Bushfire Recovery Service), Sustainability (Bright Futures East Gippsland) and Community Assets Projects valued over $2.5 million (Bosworth Road Recreational Area). It was also a finalist for its Orbost Streetscape and Orbost Landfill (bushfire response) projects.
