Council seeks community feedback on Local Law review

Published on 14 April 2023

Community members are being asked to have their say on a Local Laws review being conducted by Council.

Council intends to integrate the three current Local Laws (Consumption of Alcohol in a Public Place, General Local Law and Livestock) into a contemporary single Local Law.

Council’s General Manager Infrastructure and Operations Heath Chasemore said it is important for the community to provide their feedback.

“We will need to hear the community’s views, particularly on key topics we know are of high interest to residents of Colac Otway.

“Local Laws are an important part of our daily lives, they’re designed to keep our community safe, protect public assets and enhance amenity and liveability within the shire,” Mr Chasemore said.

Under the former Local Government Act 1989, Council’s Local Laws cease to operate on 27 August 2023.

“It’s really important for our community to be engaged in the process of this Local Law review in order for Council to remove what is unnecessary or unused and introduce new restrictions to address issues and identified deficiencies in the current Local Laws in order to reflect community expectations.”

Further information, including a link to an online survey can be found on Council’s website. Hardcopies of the survey can also be collected from Council’s Customer Service Centres in Colac and Apollo Bay.

Submissions from the community will inform the drafting of a new Local Law that will be presented to Council before being put on exhibition for feedback from the community.

Online or hard copy submissions for the survey close at 5pm on Friday 5 May 2023.