The Upper Lachlan Shire Council is one of 18 local government areas to take part in a ground-breaking state government programme aimed at saving energy and cutting power bills.

 

The Sustainable Councils and Communities initiative is being promoted by the Office of Environment and Heritage to help councils better understand their energy use.

 

It will enable them to make business cases for efficiency or upgrade projects.

 

Sustainable Programmes Director, Mick O'Flynn says the programme will help councils with limited budgets become investment ready for energy projects previously beyond their reach.

 

There will be a focus on cutting energy bills for households and businesses and improving the comfort of homes for the most vulnerable.

 

Upper Lachlan council has already started analysing power usage at its facilities and identifying priority sites for energy audits.

Financial adjustments have been made by the Goulburn Mulwaree Council which will quickly progress improvements to the Oallen Ford and Sandy Point roads near the city.

 

Councillors have been told that as works have continued, some additional components have been identified.

 

Funds allocated for next year have been brought forward to this financial year and some section 94 monies have been transferred to allow work on both Oallen Ford and Sandy Point routes.

 

Council Operations Director, Matt O'Rourke says it is pleasing to achieve this type of improvement.

Organic Waste Collection in the Goulburn Mulwaree area is taking a big step forward this week with the commencement of delivery of 10,500 bins to urban areas.

 

The rollout of the new bins will take until July 5th and will be directed to residents in Goulburn and Marulan who currently receive kerbside waste collection.

 

An Environmental Trust Grant through the Waste Less, Recycle More initiative, has enabled the council to give each eligible household, a free green-lidded 240 litre organic waste bin and kitchen caddy.

 

The caddies will help in the separation of food waste and they'll be secured to the new bins which will be delivered to the kerb of each property.

 

From the 1st of July, the new bins will be emptied each fortnight.

 

Goulburn Mulwaree mayor, Bob Kirk says it is important for residents to use their new kitchen caddies and green bins to dispose of their food waste rather than putting it into the red-lidded rubbish bin.