Campaspe Shire Mayor Rob Amos said the two councils already enjoyed an excellent working relationship, which supported service delivery to towns either side of the Murray River.
“Both councils are committed to co-operating for the betterment of the community,” Cr Amos said.
“We will continue to work together to reduce costs for ratepayers by avoiding the duplication of services while maximising service delivery opportunities that meet a common community need.”
Originally signed by the two councils in 2019, the MOU has been updated to reflect current cross-border issues.
The updated MOU reconfirms the relationship and approach between the councils, while revising key focus areas for cross-border collaboration.
“The Memorandum of Understanding has been updated to reflect more recent priorities, including flood recovery, workforce shortages, economic development and tourism,” Cr Amos said.
“One recent example where we have worked together is the recalibration of the Echuca Moama Torrumbarry Flood Study, where we are utilising data from the 2022 floods to enable potential future flood mitigation measures, warning systems and triggers to be developed based on the latest information.
“Our councils already enjoy a strong relationship as a result of our cross-border circumstance, and we are committed to further strengthening the partnership to ensure we provide efficient and consistent service delivery, whilst staying abreast of new issues that arise in our communities.”
Murray River Council Mayor Chris Bilkey said the MOU highlighted the genuine commitment of both councils to continue a relationship that was focused on outcomes.
“We already have a great relationship, so this Memorandum of Understanding simply formalises how we collaborate,” Cr Bilkey said.
“As councils with many shared interests, we need to recognise less these borders that separate us and work together on finding a solution to common issues and share the expertise and resources that both organisations offer.
“Both our communities, particularly in Echuca and Moama, are growing, and our residents are requesting access to more services and more facilities.
“This is where we can certainly work together to streamline and optimise our efforts as we look to serve our communities the best way we can.”