Casey’s council honour

CITY of Casey has been given a huge honour at the 2011 LGPro Awards for Excellence, held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 17 February.
Casey won the Community Assets and Infrastructure Initiative Award, for projects under $1 million that are a new, one-off activity of a capital nature, for Casey’s Mobile Youth Information Centre – Casey 360.
Casey 360 is a modified, low-entry passenger bus fitted with state-of-the-art audiovisual, information communication technology and sound equipment.
It aims to allow the council to deliver services and programs to young people throughout Casey, especially those who are disadvantaged, live in geographically isolated areas and new housing estates, and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
The City of Casey has one of the largest youth populations of any council Australia – with almost 59,000 young people aged 10 to 15 years living in the municipality – which is more than 24 per cent of the population. In the next 10 years, the number of young people in Casey is expected to rise to 72,000.
An average of 1500 young people access the service each month.
During the recent floods, Casey 360 doubled as a mobile recovery unit, providing those staying overnight at the Cranbourne Emergency Relief Centre with access to the internet and a means of connecting with friends and family as well as games.
City of Casey CEO Mike Tyler said the win acknowledged that Casey was a progressive and contemporary council which delivered high quality services to its community.
“I am very proud of the work council officers do every day, and to be acknowledged by the industry in this manner confirms that we are on the right track,” Mr Tyler said.
LGPro is the peak body for local government professionals in Victoria.
From more than 100 nominations, the City of Casey was short listed for three LGPro Awards for Excellence categories.
Casey was a finalist in two other award categories: the Community Assets and Infrastructure Award (for projects over $1 million that are a new, one-off activity of a capital nature) for Casey Fields, and the Innovative Management Award for its Leadership Development Program.