Legal stoush over violence in city school

It's been a busy news week in the south-west.

Warrnambool College has been hit with a WorkSafe order after an investigation into violent and sexist attacks against teachers by some students, but the Education Department is fighting the ruling.

The school - which has about 1200 students - is now the subject of a legal stoush in the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal over whether it should be forced to have psychiatric support for teachers on site.

The revelation has prompted South West Coast MP Roma Britnell to accuse the government of abandoning Warrnambool teachers.

Ms Britnell, who has repeatedly raised the alarm in parliament, said Warrnambool College wasn't the only school in the region and across the state facing similar issues.

"The government is abandoning teachers and the school community in Warrnambool," she said.

In other news, five megawatt battery is being installed on the outskirts of Warrnambool but the project has sparked concerns from neighbours who say they've had no chance to object.

Construction work on ACEnergy's new battery energy storage system (BESS) off Caramut Road kicked off this week leaving neighbours with "major concerns" about the potential for fire and visual impact.

The project - on Briars Lane - will include four 20-foot battery containers and is set to be operational by April 2025.

Firefighters have also raised concerns about the plans.

A three-year contract to clean Warrnambool's public toilets and barbecue facilities will cost more than $750,000.

The city council's chief executive officer Andrew Mason said the city's toilets and barbecues would be cleaned more often under the new contract.

"The contract has had to be extended to cover some new facilities," Mr Mason said.

There were nine submissions for the contract which was awarded to Makkim for an annual lump sum price of about $251,750 but the council has the option to extend the three-year contract by another two years.

Tragically an 18-year-old Port Fairy man riding an electric scooter without a helmet was killed when he rode out in front of a truck on Wednesday, July 3.

A truck driver carrying a container was heading north on Toolong Road about 800 metres north of the Princes Highway at 4.30pm when the collision happened.

Senior Constable Mel Gray, of the Warrnambool police highway patrol unit, said the scooter rider was heading south on the Port Fairy to Warrnambool rail trail when he failed to give way to the truck.

She requested any witnesses or anyone with dash camera footage to contact police.

Until next week, stay safe and take care.

Rachael Houlihan, deputy editor.