Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, today congratulated East Gippsland Shire and Wellington Shire Councils, who were amongst a number of councils that partnered with key organisations in successfully applying for $248,248 in funding under the government’s Local Sustainability Accord (LSA) grants program.
“The ‘Sustainable Gippsland ‘E’ Community’ is one of 57 projects across Victoria that will empower local communities to develop strategic responses to sustainability issues and provide practical opportunities to improve our environment,” Mr Bull said.

“The Local Sustainability Accord program supports local communities to create local solutions for sustainability and environmental challenges.

“The program encourages local governments to provide innovative and practical solutions to improve sustainability through projects that create jobs, educate and improve best practice guidelines for households, industry and government,” Mr Bull said.

Both East Gippsland and Wellington Shire councils will also receive $45,000 respectively under the LSA’s individual grants scheme to develop an urban water strategy and to the further development of a sustainability strategy.

The Accord program comprised three categories of funding:

• Regional Grants – funding of up to $600,000 to successful regional councils.
• Partnership Grants – funding of up to $250,000 for partnerships between councils, organisations and industry.
• Individual Grants - funding of up to $45,000 to individual councils.

Mr Bull said, “the Government would also soon be rolling out its promised $20 million Community Green Fund program.”
"These grants will help community and volunteer groups to carry out practical local action and restore environmental black spots.”

For more information about the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord, visit www.dse.vic.gov.au/accord.