After missing out at budget time, Macedon Ranges councillors have now agreed to fund a master plan for the Riddells Creek Recreation Reserve.
Unanimously supported at the August 27 council meeting, funding originally leftover from the Community Funding Scheme will now be used to deliver the master plan.
This motion was initally brought to council at the July 23 meeting, when Cr Cassy Borthwick successfully moved an alternative motion when moving the Community Funding Scheme allocations.
Cr Borthwick added the recommendation that the unspent budget of $37,779.27 be allocated to either completing a master plan for the Riddells Creek Recreation Reserve or a priority missing link footpath.
Council officers recommended the full leftover amount to be allocated to the master plan, saying it would offer better value for the community.
While multiple councillors weren’t happy with how this decision came about, all were happy to support the master plan.
“We did have the opportunity to fund the Riddells Creek Recreation Reserve Master Plan as part of the budget process this year but we initially decided not to due to not wanting to fund more masterplans, seeing them less focused on immediate action,” Cr Kate Kendall said.
“I think we should stick to a standard budget process and in the future any money that’s left over from grants or money taken from reserves should be directed into funding inline item on the budget without specification.”
Cr Borthwick said she was thrilled by the outcome.
“Given that the Riddells Creek community accounted for 25 per cent of the budget submissions with regards to the budget and it was overlooked, this is an extraordinary win for the Riddells Creek community,” she said.
The master plan confirmation comes at a timely moment for Riddells Creek, with the Amess Street Precinct Structure Plan announced by the state government on August 26 set to double the town’s population.
That plan also includes upgrades to the Riddells Creek Recreation Reserve.
Resident and member of the Riddells Creek Planning Group Aaron Goldsworthy said the master plan is more important now than ever for the town.
“We see that project as one critical aspect,” he said.
“We’re going to have this population growth, we need to get on and be planning for things like the recreation reserve.”
Once prepared, the master plan will go out for community engagement and feedback.
