Council Connections - 25 November 2020

Local Fire Ban, Living in Sheds, Mayor’s Christmas Appeal, Recycle Right

Please be advised that due to heightened fire conditions, a local fire ban has been imposed for the following Local Government areas from midnight Monday 23 November 2020 and will remain in place until midnight Monday 30 November 2020:

• Burdekin;
• Charters Towers;
• Hinchinbrook ;
• Townsville; and
• Whitsunday.

Under a local fire ban, open fires are prohibited and all Permits to Light Fire which have been issued in the designated areas have been cancelled. 

For more information visit www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au.

Living In Sheds

People often enquire about living in sheds or a temporary home as it is regularly seen as a cost effective and money saving option, or an alternative to occupy land while planning or building a dwelling. However, often this turns out to not be the most cost effective or practical choice.

What is a shed and what is a Class 10a structure?

A shed is a Class 10a structure which is a non-habitable building or structure utilised for storage purposes. As per the National Construction Code:

• Class 10a buildings are non-habitable buildings including sheds, carports and private garages, which are not permitted to be utilised for residential purposes.
• Non-habitable buildings cannot be occupied frequently or for extended periods of time.

Am I allowed to live in a shed?

No, not without Council approval. The State’s building legislation states that it is not lawful to use a shed, garage or Class 10 building for residential purposes unless the use is approved by the Local Government.

Under the National Construction Code (NCC), residential buildings require a higher standard of construction than sheds, especially in cyclonic areas.  To ensure health, safety, amenity and sustainability in the design, the building must comply with mandatory requirements.

Should you require any further clarification or information regarding Living in Sheds, please visit Council’s website Building and Plumbing page, or contact Council on
4776 4600.

Disaster Preparedness!

Council has developed flood height comparison information which is specific to the Lower Herbert Community to enable residents to be better prepared in the event of flooding.

The information acts as a guide prompting consideration of preparation and options for residents when flood levels are reached.  There will be a stall at the Light It Up event in Halifax Saturday 28 November 2020, which will have everything you need in an information pack.

Council is Tackling Littering

Did you know around 80% of litter ending up in our oceans originated from land? Litter, or marine debris as it is referred to once it is in the ocean, is not only an eyesore that can cost tax and ratepayers thousands of dollars in clean-up costs, it can also cause damage to marine ecosystems and the animals that inhabit them.

Hinchinbrook Shire Council, in partnership with Tangaroa Blue through the ReefClean Project, has set out on a path to educate residents on the impacts of litter through a social media campaign currently running on Council’s Facebook page. This campaign is promoting four themes:

• Responsible dog ownership by not leaving dog poo behind on the ground and ensuring that all dog poo bags are placed correctly in a bin;
• Reduction of cigarette butt litter;
• Reduction of fishing litter by supporting recreational fishers to look after their tackle; and
• Driving behavioral change in people who leave litter in public spaces around the Great Barrier Reef.

Remember, do the right thing and put it in the right bin, so that we do not waste Hinchinbrook.

Recycle Right – Keep it Safe

Did you know that the contents of your household recycling bin are transported to the Materials Recovery Facility in Townsville? Once the contents reach the facility, all the materials first go through a manual separation process. Therefore, it is extra important to recycle right by keeping our recycling safe!

Things that can hurt workers at the Materials Recovery Facility and should never go into your recycling bin include chemicals, broken glass, gas bottles, syringes, needles and other hazardous materials. In addition, things that can tangle around and damage the sorting machines include strapping line, hoses, netting wire, bed sheets, clothing material and building materials. These things are not to go into the recycling bin either.

Remember, let us not waste our efforts by keeping your recycling contamination free to keep it coming around. Keep it simple and only place hard plastic bottles and containers, glass bottles and jars, steel and aluminum cans, paper and cardboard in your recycling bin.

For more information of what should go into which bin, visit Council’s website Waste and Recycling page.

Mayor’s Christmas Appeal

Dig deep and donate to the Mayor’s Christmas Appeal to help those in our community who are less fortunate and to ensure that their Christmas is one that is filled with joy.

To support this Appeal, residents may deliver gifts, items of non-perishable food or monetary donations to the Hinchinbrook Shire Council Office or the Hinchinbrook Shire Library until 5.00pm Friday 11 December 2020.

Please note monetary gifts can only be accepted at the Hinchinbrook Shire Council Lannercost Street Office.

Need to print the Council Connections page? Click on the link below for the printable version. 

COUNCIL CONNECTIONS -  25 NOVEMBER 2020