Baw Baw Shire's deputy mayor Michael Leaney last week led a delegation to Canberra representing councils interfacing the Melbourne metropolitan area to push the case for more funding to address the needs of the fastest growing shires in the state.
Cr Leaney was recently elected chair of Peri-Urban Councils Victoria, a body of five councils - Baw Baw, Bass Coast, Moorabool, Surf Coast and Golden Plains shires - that face issues with rapid population growth, significant infrastructure shortcomings and a lack of adequate funding from state and federal governments.

He described the discussions as a "great opportunity and very producti