In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have allocated $3.8 million towards a relief package to support our community. This funding includes a series of measures to help ratepayers and the community, local businesses, clubs and community groups.

A key part of this package is the Community Relief Fund. Consisting of $300,000 of urgent relief funding and $700,000 of Community Relief Fund grants, this will assist organisations to deliver crucial community recovery and resilience activities.

Almost $300,000 of urgent relief funding has been awarded to 15 community organisations who provide emergency relief and material aid, food packages, counselling services and housing support throughout Manningham.

Some of the services this funding will support include:

• Delivery of food packs to those who have been hit hardest,
• Maintaining essential home support for at-risk communities who cannot leave their house during this time,
• Ensuring children remain engaged with their education to decrease future unemployment and youth homelessness,
• Upskilling under-represented populations to increase their resilience, and
• Social check-ins on vulnerable individuals to combat increased social isolation.

A full list of funding recipients are listed below.

Applications for $700,000 of COVID-19 Community Relief Fund grants are currently open. If your community group, club or organisation is running a project which brings members of our Manningham community together, you may be eligible for a grant. For more information, visit manningham.vic.gov.au/community-relief-grants.

Community Relief Funding Recipients

We have launched a new creative industries program of small fellowships, workshops and mentoring opportunities, to help artists across Manningham develop new projects and to support them at this time.

Under the program, up to eight small fellowships of up to $2000 will be offered to contemporary artists to research and develop new bodies of work and art projects such as site-specific installations, non-gallery based exhibitions, performances and other public programs.

Under a second phase of funding, up to four of these fellowships will be translated into contemporary art projects to be delivered within Manningham.

For more information and to apply visit Arts and Creative Industries Small Fellowships.

If you’re a local artist who’s running a small business and looking for assistance, there are other support options available.

Free business mentoring is available for artists, makers, designers and other creative industries professionals operating as sole traders or running a small businesses. These free sessions can help build your capacity and support you in adapting to increased online work, marketing and crisis management.

Arts industry mentor Debby Maziarz Productions is hosting a number of free workshops to help artists learn to write effective grant applications and provide guidance in making a living through your arts practice. Sessions will be held on Tuesday 14 July and Thursday 23 July, from 5.30pm to 8.00pm and you can register by visiting Arts and Creative Industries Support Program.

Every year we allocate money to the Heritage Restoration Fund, which has been established to promote the conservation of heritage buildings, trees, gardens and other places of interest.

It does so by providing financial assistance to individuals, community groups and organisations to maintain items of heritage significance in Manningham.

If you are a landowner and occupier of a heritage-listed property or have a property within Schedule 5 to the Vegetation Protection Overlay or a Heritage Overlay, you may be eligible to apply for funding under the Trees and Gardens or Buildings categories.

Letters will have already been sent to you with details of the Heritage Restoration Fund, so please check your mailboxes for this information.

Application Forms, the Policy and Guidelines and Claim Forms can be found online.

Applications must be emailed to csadmin@manningham.vic.gov.au by Friday 9 April.

All approved works must be completed and claims made by Friday 12 November 2021.

For further information please contact our Integrated Planning Unit on 9840 9789.

Image: Schramms Cottage located at Rieschiecks Reserve in Doncaster

Each year we offer a series of land management grants that support the preservation of Manningham’s natural bushland and the productivity of rural land. These grants are designed to help property owners with land care education, land stewardship, pest and animal control and ecological improvement works.

Grants up to $1000 are available and can help residents cover the costs for important biodiversity works like pest animal control, environmental weed control, regeneration and enhancement of native habitat, fencing to preserve high priority natural habitat and waterways and other approved works.

Land management grants are subject to a specific eligibility criteria and this information is available on our website.

Residents are encouraged to register their interest and apply for a Land Management Grant through Council’s website or by contacting our Environment Team on 9840 9333.

For more information visit manningham.vic.gov.au/land-management-grants

Manningham Council is offering up to $50,000 a year, up to four years, to help not-for-profit groups and organisations deliver services and initiatives that strengthen our community.

Applications are now open for Manningham’s Community Partnership Grant program designed to support organisations achieve long term community and cultural development outcomes.

Manningham Mayor Cr Andrew Conlon said since 2015, our Community Partnership Grant program has awarded more than $6.7 million to 13 partner organisations who provided services that directly benefited people who live, work and play in Manningham.

“Our partnership grants come around once every four years and can assist in providing essential social services and programs to the community, especially where there may be a gap in services,” he said.

“I encourage any community groups or not-for-profit organisations looking to deliver long term programs, projects and initiatives that will enhance the lives of our residents to apply.”

Grant information sessions will be available online and in person to assist community groups in preparing their applications.

Grant applications will close 5.00pm, Monday 27 September.

For more information about Manningham’s Community Partnership Grants program and to register for an information session, visit manningham.vic.gov.au/community-partnership-grants.

This year's theme for the much-loved Warrandyte Festival is Coming Together. There is a jam packed two day program, running over Friday 18 and Saturday 19 March.

"The Festival Committee has done an incredible job in organising the Festival and bringing the community back together in a COVID-safe way", says Manningham's Mayor Cr Michelle Kleinert.

The Festival is primarily funded by Community Grants through Manningham and Nillumbik Councils'.

The Festival is famous for its stages where local artists showcase their music, taking the opportunity to perform in front of the community crowd. The very popular Battle of the Bands will be on the main stage on Saturday afternoon.

"We have outstanding local talent here in Manningham. Everyone is excited to see what our artists have been working on over the past couple of years. But more importantly, they are excited to come along and be part of the festivities", says Cr Kleinert, the sponsor of this year's competition.

The 2022 Festival Program includes the Film Feast, Street Parade and activities for children of all ages.

For more information, see the festival website.

Photo credit: Stephen Reynolds

The Doncaster RSL will receive a $310,000 upgrade to its outdoor area with a series of new landscaping features and educational signage.

This upgrade will ensure the outdoor area of the Doncaster RSL is more visible and accessible for the community to come together and pay their respects.

Earlier this year, Manningham Council committed $250,000 to the project, with works to begin this week and conclude by early 2019. In addition, council has successfully received a $60,000 grant from the Victorian Government’s Victoria Remembers Major Grant Program to include educational signage.

Manningham Mayor, Cr Paula Piccinini, announced the new upgrades at the Doncaster RSL’s Remembrance Day ceremony yesterday, followed by a ‘turning of the sod’ to mark the occasion.

“As a council, we want to ensure this legacy of our service men and women is cemented in our community. We believe the upgrades to the Doncaster RSL will ensure there is a place for the Manningham community to come together and pay their respects for many years to come,” Cr Piccinini said.

President of the Doncaster RSL, Charles Collins said: “We’re delighted that Manningham has made this commitment to upgrading our RSL, to preserve this site that means so much to us.

“The Doncaster RSL is a true community centre, where past, present and future generations come to recognise the adversities of war, honour our veterans and where our veterans seek comfort in times of need,” Mr Collins said.

The new upgrades will include:

• A new seating area to cater for larger memorial day events and school groups
• Interpretative and educational signage and soundposts
• Bluestone and granite paving with the RSL shield featured on the new pavement surface
• New planting, landscaping and lighting.

For more information on this project, please email csadmin@manningham.vic.gov.au or phone 9840 9789.

Manningham Council has been awarded a State Government grant to implement the “Keep Our Yarra River Litter FREE” project, designed to educate the local community and involve them in cleaning up local waterways.

Manningham Mayor Cr Jim Grivokostopoulos welcomed the recent announcement of the $13,300 grant by Minister for Environment and Climate Change, and Member for Warrandyte, Hon Ryan Smith.

“There are seven creeks in Manningham that flow into the Yarra River at the northern boundary of the City and ultimately into Port Phillip Bay, so the announcement of funding to assist the implementation of the “Keep Our Yarra River Litter FREE” project is great news.”

“Manningham Council is very passionate about the environment, especially improving the quality and cleanliness of our local waterways and it is very important that we do everything we can to minimise devastating impact of litter on local wildlife.”

 “Through the “Keep Our Yarra River Litter FREE”, Council will focus on building community partnerships, educating the local schools and implementing new infrastructure to reduce litter and provide the community with a better understanding of the impact of litter on the environment,” he said.

Cr Grivokostopoulos “said one the most important factors of any successful litter prevention programs is the provision of appropriate infrastructure which makes it as simple as possible for people to dispose of their waste.”

“Infrastructure plays an important role in behaviour change, so to encourage people to correctly dispose of their litter, Council is implementing litter and recycle bins along the Yarra River walk in Warrandyte.”

“As part of the project litter bins in the area will be replaced with bins that picture Warrandyte from the 1900s and others that depict local wildlife from the area and tell a story about the particular animal.”

“By making the bins a feature of the area it is hoped that they will bring about more awareness of the campaign objectives and prompt people to change their disposal behaviour,” he said.

Mr Smith said the Victorian Coalition Government’s Litter Hotspots Project helps build a better Victoria by working with local councils such as Manningham and community groups to find local litter solutions.

“Cleaning up litter from streets and public places is costly, with litter clean-up costing local councils $78 million every year. These costs can be avoided by helping people in Manningham to dispose of litter properly.”

“This program will deliver great benefits that will see this program in Manningham Council implemented as part of the State Government’s $7 million commitment for a cleaner Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay,” Mr Smith said. 

We are proud to support residents returning to play their sport of choice.

Many community members have felt the impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19). To support those financially impacted we have partnered with Bendigo Bank to provide funding to help local families return to sport in Manningham. The initiative will subsidise up to 50% of eligible participants’ annual sport and recreation club fees.

Sport and recreation clubs provide an invaluable service to the Manningham community. As we head towards winter we want to ensure that kids and adults have the opportunity to get involved with their sport of choice and to experience the physical, mental and social benefits that sport and recreation provide.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply for the Financial Subsidy Program:

• Applicant is aged between 5 and 18
• Applicant resides in Manningham
• Applicant is applying for a sport or recreation club based in Manningham
• Applicant or family is financially impacted due to coronavirus (COVID-19; the applicant, parent or guardian must provide a reference letter from an employer or government agency as part of the application process.

Please share this information with participants you feel may be eligible for the Financial Subsidy Program, and encourage those who are to apply. If you have any further questions e-mail the Recreation team or call (03) 9840 9333.

Council is thanking and rewarding Manningham volunteers for their contributions to the community, with $50 gift vouchers.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of many community groups. In Manningham, we have around 20,000 volunteers supporting so many different services.

Manningham’s Mayor, Cr Michelle Kleinert, said that this program recognises and thanks our volunteers, who are often quiet achievers.

“Rewarding our volunteers is a way to recognise the integral role they play in our community, strengthening our community’s wellbeing and connectedness. Anyone can nominate a volunteer. If you know someone who volunteers in Manningham, please take this chance to help us say thank you.”, Cr Kleinert said.

“Nearly 20 per cent of our residents volunteer each year”.

Jackie Burton is one of Manningham’s many volunteers. She runs a Manningham Transition Home for people with disabilities. Assisting two people at a time for six months, Jackie helps prepare transition residents for independent living.

“This is a way for me to give back to the community. It’s a long term commitment and very satisfying to see my housemates grow into more confident and independent people, ready to move into their own home.’ Jackie said.

Once Jackie’s housemates are ready, they are allocated into independent housing by Manningham Inclusive Community Housing.

Nominations will be open until Saturday 30 April and can be spent in Manningham-based businesses, shops and restaurants.

“These vouchers will reward our volunteers and benefit our local businesses,” Cr Kleinert said.

To nominate a volunteer:

1. Go to the Nomination Form to enter the details of you, your nominee and the volunteering organisation
2. Tell us in 100 words or less why this volunteer should be recognised for their contributions to Manningham.

Manningham Council has joined councils from across Victoria, the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and the Salvation Army in the “Enough Pokies” campaign seeking government action to better protect vulnerable communities from inappropriate placement of poker machines.

Manningham Mayor, Cr Jim Grivokostopoulos said that protecting vulnerable communities from the inappropriate placement of pokies is an important objective for local government.

“Every day in Manningham, $152,541 is lost to gambling in pokies.”

“That equates to $126,828 per poker machine each year in our municipality and an overall loss of $55.7 million in Manningham in 2013/14.”

“We have to be extremely careful about where those machines are placed, given the significant harm they can cause to the surrounding community and this campaign will support Council’s Gambling Policy directions.”

“In recent years the gaming machine operators appears to have been attempting to grow their gaming revenues by moving more of their machines into the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities in the state.  They have been assisted by an inadequate regulatory framework,” he said.

Cr Grivokostopoulos said of the 154 decisions by Victorian Commission for Liquor and Gambling Regulation (VCLGR) since July 2008, an astonishing 93 per cent have been decided in favour of the gaming operator.

“This is despite strong council and community objections in more than half of these applications. We need the next Victorian government to provide clear and simple guidance to the VCLGR on how it must apply the ‘no net detriment’ in the public interest rather than in the interests of the big gaming operators.” 

Municipal Association of Victoria President Bill McArthur said that local councils had demonstrated a deep concern about the issue.

“The MAV State Council overwhelmingly voted to support this call for change. It is clear to us, by the number of councils who have expressed their concern for the welfare of their communities, that inappropriate placement of pokies is an area the state government needs to address,” Cr McArthur said.

In support of the Enough Pokies campaign, the MAV has sought protection for vulnerable communities from pokies in its Call to Parties document submitted to all major political parties ahead of the state election.

COVID-19 has, and continues to have, significant impacts on our community.

At our Council meeting on Tuesday 26 September, further financial relief measures, to the value of $1.5 million, were unanimously approved.

Councillors spoke emotionally about the discussions they had had with community members and the stories they had heard.

This package is in addition to the $4.6 million of relief measures we have provided since the pandemic began (equating to approximately 5% of Manningham’s general rate revenue).

Manningham Mayor, Cr Andrew Conlon, said this new relief package would help support those in our community most in need while ensuring Manningham’s financial sustainability.

“There has been a significant impact on our community over the last 19 months and we have been there to help. But we know the impacts are not over yet.  We will continue to support our community by providing targeted financial relief, assisting those most in need. As we move into the recovery phase, we want to enable our community and neighbours to reconnect. We want to start to see our community back doing what they love and enjoy,” he said.

The relief measures of $1.5 million will go towards:

• $250,000 for business support
• $230,000 for not-for-profit support
• $260,000 for recreation clubs support
• $460,000 rent relief for commercial tenants
• $300,000 rent relief and other financial support for community group tenants including recreation club tenants.

For more information, visit manningham.vic.gov.au/our-covid-19-community-relief-package.

A new pop-up park will be set up in the centre of Jackson Court as part of a Neighbourhood Activity Centre Renewal project. We were successful in receiving a $100,000 grant from the Victorian Government and Council has matched this funding.

The Jackson Court pop-up park will be developed as a public space with arts projects and place-making activities to create a welcoming, friendly neighbourhood centre. In partnership with local businesses and the community, we will ensure everyone can share their ideas and help shape this vibrant community space.

The Jackson Court pop-up park will be installed before the start of summer 2020 and will be trialled for six months. The project will assist in the COVID-19 response by providing an attractive outdoor public space to support traders, community connections and reinvigorate the Jackson Court neighbourhood precinct.

Tonight Manningham Council endorsed a package of relief measures to ease the financial burden on residents and businesses affected by COVID-19.

Council’s relief package will assist those most in need and balance short term relief with the longer term services and infrastructure needs of the Manningham community.

Manningham Mayor, Cr Paul McLeish said Council recognised that many in the community were facing long term financial hardship.

"Manningham Council has actively supported the public health measures necessary to successfully reduce the spread of COVID-19, and thanks our community for their response to date. Council is fully aware of the impact this is having on many in our community from a health, wellbeing and financial perspective.”

“The COVID-19 Community Relief Package endorsed tonight includes measures for ratepayers, older residents, local businesses and community groups.”

Cr McLeish said while Council was asking residents who could still pay their rates to do so, it also recognised this was difficult for some in our community. “Many people in our community have recently lost their jobs or are experiencing a significant impact on their home finances and may not be in a position to pay their rates now.”

“We want our community to know we are there for them and we hope the package will make things a little easier.”

“This $3.8M package provides direct relief to vulnerable sections of our community. We have approved a mixture of cost relief measures for those in hardship and extra funding for community support services.

“We remain committed to ensuring essential services including waste collection, maintenance of parks and gardens, home care for our elderly, meals on wheels, maternal and child health and immunisations continue to be delivered. We’ll also continue the maintenance of community infrastructure and deliver high priority capital works projects such as roads, footpaths and upgrading of sporting facilities, playgrounds and parks.”

Also on the Agenda tonight was a review of Councillor allowances. The decision by the Local Government Minister back in December 2019 to upgrade Manningham to Category 3 meant that Council was permitted to review the level of their allowances. Tonight Council unanimously resolved to delay any decision on this item until December 2020.

“We know our community is doing it tough and now is not the time to make decisions on Councillor allowances. Our primary focus is on supporting Manningham through this crisis and the delivery of our COVID-19 Community Relief Package.”

In addition to the Community Relief Package, a new seven day a week Community Connect phone service has been established and residents in need of support are encouraged to contact Council on 9840 9333.

“The majority of our Council services are continuing to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic and we encourage community members to contact us via phone or email,” Cr McLeish said.

The COVID-19 Community Relief Package includes:

• Fourth quarter rate payment extension of due date to 30 June 2020, without incurring any penalty interest. Special payment arrangements available for those qualifying for Council’s financial hardship relief
• An increase in the rate rebate for Low Income Health Care Card Holders in2020/21
• No increase on waste disposal charges in 2020/21
• Introduction of a $1M COVID-19 Community Relief Fund
• Introduction of a COVID-19 Local Business Development Program
• Rent and lease relief, and utility subsidies, for clubs and community groups who use Council facilities
• 50% discounts on footpath trading permits, trader parking permits and food and health premises registration in 2020/21
• Additional support to older residents
   

Manningham Business is helping local businesses reopen and recover with its latest Buy Local campaign.

From 25 October to 10 December, residents are encouraged to support local businesses by shopping locally and nominating a business that has shown resilience during the pandemic - for a chance to win one of four locally sourced hampers, valued at $500 each. 

Manningham Mayor Cr Andrew Conlon said over the last 18 months there had been an unprecedented shift in how we connect with one another and do business.

“Manningham is a resilient community and many businesses adapted their business models to ensure we still have access to the products and services we love,” he said.

“I want to personally thank our community for continuing their support to our local businesses.”

All nominated businesses will receive a Manningham Business Excellence Award they can display within their business.

To enter the competition:

1. visit and support a local business in Manningham
2. access the nomination form by scanning the QR code on display
3. tell us how the business has shown excellence and resilience during the pandemic.

This year’s Buy Local campaign builds on a number of initiatives that we have developed to help businesses transition into recovery including a $140,000 business grants program which assisted 74 applicants make improvements and acquire new skills to be competitive in a COVID environment.

This includes free mentoring, training and extensive assistance helping businesses become COVID Safe through COVID Safe plans, physical distancing floor decals, outdoor trading permits and more.

“Our community’s resiliency is the very thing that will bring us back on our feet after the pandemic is behind us,” Cr Conlon said.

For more information, visit manningham.vic.gov.au/buy-local

Just when we thought things were improving, we find ourselves back in another lockdown. The lockdown we have just had has been hard, and many of us are incredibly tired of all the planning and cancelling. During this continued time of uncertainty, continue to be kind to each other and look out for one another and reach out if you need support.

The Olympic Games have been a welcome distraction and I hope you have all enjoyed following along - I know I certainly have. After such a big build up to the Tokyo 2020 games it’s been fantastic watching our athletes performing so well.

We were on the edge of our seats watching our local Donvale resident Brendon Smith win bronze in the final of the 400m Individual Medley and share his excitement as he brings his medal home to celebrate with his friends and family. Having grown up in Manningham attending Our Lady of the Pines Primary School and Yarra Valley Grammar I’m sure many of you were joining me in supporting Brendon from afar.

Due to COVID restrictions, our July Council meeting needed to be run online, the first time for this current Council, but Facebook Livestream still means the meetings are open to all.

The July meeting saw us adopt the main priority funding outcomes for our Community Partnership Grants Program. We're very proud to run this important program as the funding helps not-for-profits and community organisations deliver a diverse range of services within Manningham.  Applications open on Sunday 15 August and you can find more information including translated resources on our Community Grants page.

We also discussed our draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy at the July Council Meeting. We’ve consulted with our community to develop a framework of seven ideas which will ensure the Manningham community is healthy, safe, resilient, connected and inclusive.

The Health and Wellbeing Strategy is now ready for a final check with you. You can read more about the plan and share your feedback.  We're really keen to work with you to achieve better health outcomes for our community, so please let us know what you think.

Until next time, all my very best