There
are also many parks in the surrounding
suburbs of Melbourne, such as in the cities
of Stonnington and Booroondara, south
east of the CBD. Melbourne has a temperate
climate under the Köppen climate
classification system. The city is known
for having unusual weather conditions,
with the phrase 'four seasons in a day'
oft mentioned by locals and visitors alike.
Melburnians tend to 'be prepared' with
regards to the weather, for example, taking
an umbrella with them even if the forecast
predicts fine weather. The Melbourne City
Council governs only the City of Melbourne,
which takes in the CBD and a few adjoining
inner suburbs. However the head of the
Melbourne City Council, the Lord Mayor
of Melbourne, is frequently treated as
a representative of greater Melbourne
(the entire metropolitan area), particularly
when interstate or overseas. The current
Lord Mayor is John So.
The
rest of the metropolitan area is divided
into 30 municipalities, all of which are
styled as cities except for five on the
city's outer fringes which are styled
as shires (see a list of these at Local
Government Areas of Victoria). These municipalities
all have elected councils and are responsible
for a range of functions delegated to
them by the Victorian state government.
These include planning, rubbish collection,
beaches, parks and gardens, child-care
and preschool facilities, local festivals
and cultural activities, services to the
elderly, supervision of public health,
sanitation and similar matters. Councils
levy rates from their residents to pay
for these services. The councils are collectively
represented by the Local Government Association
of Victoria. Melbourne's overwhelming
dominance of the state of Victoria's population
and economy means the Victorian state
government is also effectively the city
government of greater Melbourne. Most
city-wide government activities are controlled
by the state government.
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