Grampians Mayor urges residents to report safety concerns via Snap Send Solve

A recent article by the National Tribune has highlighted the challenges local councils face when balancing routine maintenance with emergency storm recovery. Following community concerns regarding fallen debris and weeds at Pleasant Creek Cemetery in Stawell, Northern Grampians Shire Council has clarified how they prioritise local works, and how residents can help.

Mayor Karen Hyslop explained that while Council teams are aware of the impact of recent high winds and rainfall, their immediate priority must always be safety-critical tasks, such as clearing major roads and ensuring residents can access their homes.

The article sheds light on the hurdles that can impact the speed of local clean-ups:

• Environmental stress: Current dry conditions have left many trees under significant stress, making fallen limbs a more common occurrence across the shire.
• Chemical resistance: Some weeds, like stinkwort, have developed a resistance to standard herbicides, requiring specialised treatments and specific weather conditions to manage effectively.
• Resource allocation: Like many regional councils, Northern Grampians is working within a rate-capped environment, meaning every maintenance dollar must be spent where it is needed most.

Because the shire covers a vast area, the Council relies on the community to be their "eyes and ears." Mayor Hyslop explicitly encouraged residents to take an active role in maintaining local safety by reporting issues as they see them.

“While council might be aware of some instances, we cannot possibly be across everything in the shire. We encourage you to let us know,” Cr Hyslop said.

To streamline this process, the Mayor urged residents to report safety concerns, such as fallen tree limbs or storm debris, via Snap Send Solve.

Read the full National Tribune article here.