Council is inviting new residents to come together for an evening of connection, conversation and community at its annual New Residents Function, to be held on Tuesday 24 February 2026 at Melville Oval.For more information and to register, follow the link below.
Round Two of the 2025/26 Community Partnership Grants are now officially OPEN!We have a series of workshops to assist applicants around the Shire, and we look forward to hearing about your ideas that help make our communities even better.
Published on 11 February 2026
Katrina Rainsford has been suspended from her role as a Southern Grampians Shire Councillor effective from Wednesday, 11 February 2026 for a period of one calendar month.
An external and independent Arbiter, appointed under the Local Government Act 2020, has ruled that Ms Rainsford has engaged in misconduct, breaching the Model Councillor Code of Conduct on six occasions between 7 May 2025 and 24 July 2025.
The Arbiter said the suspension imposed ‘is a proportionate response to the seriousness of the breaches found. It reflects not only the nature of the individual incidents, but the sustained course of conduct over time that was inconsistent with the standards of integrity, respect and collective responsibility required under the model code of conduct’.
The Arbiter recognised Ms Rainsford’s ‘very clear commitment to community advocacy’ and made it clear the ‘suspension is not imposed as a punishment for its own sake, but to also address a pattern of conduct that was capable of affecting Council decision-making, working relationships and public confidence. The suspension is intended to provide an opportunity for reflection and recalibration prior to the resumption of Councillor duties’.
Ms Rainsford has ceased to be a Councillor for the period of the suspension and will not be able to represent Southern Grampians Shire constituents during this time.
Link to Internal Arbitration Report(PDF, 167KB)