Financially responsible and guided by strategy A $10 million loan, a dip into reserves, an underspend of $8m on wages; and Perth city council has passed a balanced budget despite Covid-19’s $15m revenue hit.  The budget report says the $10m loan from the WA Treasury Corporation could be repaid over 10 years thanks to historically low…

VOTES for businesses in local elections would be scrapped under a recommendation of the panel reviewing the rules around local government in WA. The panel, headed by Balcatta Labor MLA David Michael, released its final report on Wednesday. The report recommends advisory panels be used to help businesses get their voices heard in councils rather…

A COUPLE of Covid-19 grants have helped Beaufort Street radio station RTRFM fill the gap of cancelled fundraising events. The pandemic’s impact on the economy meant RTR was facing down what could’ve been a tough Radiothon, its annual August subscription drive. The station’s biggest fundraising event, In the Pines, was cancelled in April, along with…

THE Mt Lawley Society has launched a petition to save two century-old Beaufort Street homes from demolition. The two homes are just on the periphery of Mt Lawley’s historic town centre and according to society president Tracey King are in excellent condition. Number 690 was built for the Schruth family in 1903 and 692 for…

THE word “treaty” has been mysteriously scrubbed from Perth city council’s treaty with traditional owners. Answers as to who asked for the word to be removed have been difficult to get out of the council. The “Danjoo-Treaty” to symbolically acknowledge Whadjuk Nyoongars as traditional owners of the Perth area was supposed to be passed at the…

AFTER a corona-related delay Bayswater’s new FOGO three-bin system is back on the to-do list. The new bins are due on verges around March 2021. The “Food Organics, Garden Organics” system was originally scheduled to be in place by now but was delayed because the “community education program” couldn’t go ahead under the pandemic restrictions.…

A PLAN to investigate a merger between Bayswater and Bassendean councils has been promptly knocked on the head. But the debate has highlighted divisions at Bayswater, and a communication breakdown that left some councillors with no idea staff were already being sent across the border to work in Bassendean.  Discussions At last week’s meeting Bayswater councillor…

ANZ has closed its branch at Flinders Square in Yokine, leaving customers with a long commute if they need in-person banking. ANZ temporarily closed many branches across the country as a result of the coronavirus, but has since announced that some branches, like Yokine, will not reopen.  Labor MPs Simon Millman (Mt Lawley) and David…

STIRLING council is going ahead with plans for a plaza that’ll result in lost parking bays on the Mount Lawley leg of Beaufort Street. The council voted at the July 28 meeting to progress a streetscape improvement plan that includes a plaza at the carpark near Westpac.  The final design’s not set in stone but…

Eye-opening assessment revealed at CEO’S farewell Murray Jorgensen oversaw his last council meeting this week. PERTH city council CEO Murray Jorgensen leaves this week after just under two years in the job. Unlike the last two CEOs who were sacked before their contracts were up, Mr Jorgensen was always intended to be a short-term CEO…