Yarra Glenn to decide funding allocation!

The Yarra Glen People’s Panel will hand down its final recommendations at next week’s Council Meeting on Tuesday, 14 June.

Comprising twelve Yarra Glen residents, the People’s Panel was established in March this year to decide how the proceeds from the sale of the former Yarra Glen Maternal and Child Health Centre could be spent on infrastructure projects in Yarra Glen.

The Panel met across April and May to hear from expert presenters and community members to assist them in making their final recommendations. A further 200 residents were also consulted as part of the project. Their feedback was used to assist the Panel in making its final recommendations.

Local residents were also encouraged to attend the Panel hearing days to watch the group in action.
Panel member and Local Yarra Glen resident Hayley Davies said the Panel was an opportunity for her to “give back to the community that raised me”.

“We had such a range of people on the panel from a member who was 84 years old to an 18 year old,” Ms Davies said.

“I was so impressed, we were provided with so much information and resources, we were even able to request resources or professionals we wanted to hear from to make an informed recommendation,” she said.

Ms Davies praised the Panel members for their enthusiasm and taking this opportunity to make recommendations directly to Council.

“The panel is truly democracy in action,” Ms Davies said. “This process gave us [the Panel members] a whole new appreciation on what is involved in making decisions [on infrastructure projects.”