09 May 2018 Seymour Telegraph, Seymour VIC (General News) Mitchell Shire Council has welcomed funding in the 2018/19 Victorian budget for a range of advocacy priorities including roads, public transport, education and access to services. Several of Councils advocacy priorities a list of projects and services Council wants to see committed to in the lead up to the state election have been either funded or partially funded in the Victorian budget, which was released two weeks ago. Funding could also become available for a number of other prioritiesthrougharangeofstatewide initiatives funded in the budget. Highlights of the budget specifically for Mitchell Shire include: $20 million for land purchasestoprogresstheKilmore bypass Public transport; A FlexiRide bus service for Kilmore; 15 additional inter-peak V/Line services per week to Seymour Education; $6.9 million to upgrade Seymour College; $150 000 to upgrade Tallarook Primary School Health and wellbeing; $ $1.5 million to upgrade Seymour Hospital; and $150 000 to progress a sports and aquatic facility in southern Mitchell. Mitchell Shire Mayor Rhonda Sanderson said Council had been working hard to secure commitments to vital community projects. Council launched its list of advocacy priorities earlier this year and we have been working tirelessly to assist external funding bodies to better understand our community needs and opportunities and commit to funding them, Cr Sanderson said. It is fantastic to see that some oftheseprioritieshavebeenfunded in the Victorian budget, especially significant commitments such as a new primary school in Beveridge, extra bus and train services and significant money to progress the Kilmore bypass. We are also extremely thankfultheGrowingSuburbsFundhas been restored to $50 million per year after being halved in the previous budget. It has helped deliver a range of significant projects in Mitchell Shire including the Community Bank Adventure Playground, Greater Beveridge Community Centre, Wallan Family and Childrens Centre, Broadford Living and Learning Centre and two new playgrounds in Kilmore, among others. This budget funding is a really great start to making some of our advocacy priorities a reality and we thank our local members Jaclyn Symes and Danielle Green for their hard work in securing these projects for our community, Cr Sanderson said. Welookforwardtofindingout more information about what other state-wide initiatives may positively impact Mitchell Shire and we hope to see commitments for more of our advocacy priorities in the lead up to the state election. For more information on the 2018/19 Victorian budget, visit www.budget.vic.gov.au To read more about Councils advocacy priorities, visit www.mitchellshire.vic.gov.au