A list of current Golden Plain Shire Council Strategies. To access Council's Policies, click here.
Within the Golden Plains context, community development is a process by which governments, community groups and citizens work together to strengthen and advance the overall wellbeing of communities.
Whilst communities of interest will often form on the basis of geography, they will also form around other common interests or characteristics including demographics (e.g. young people and seniors), disability, arts, culture, recreation and schools.
Golden Plains Shire's Community Development Objectives are:
- To encourage and assist common interest groups to take an active involvement in the life of their community for the overall benefit of that community and its members.
- To help communities to help themselves to become stronger, more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable.
- To enhance leadership and other civic skills within communities so as to enhance the capacity of those communities to address local issues and challenges and to build vacant, healthy places.
- To develop a sense of community spirit, pride, ownership and identity within communities.
Whilst all Council program areas have a role to play in the achievement of meaningful and sustainable community development outcomes, the program areas which provide a particular opportunity for community development are:
- Arts and Culture
- Aged and Disability Services
- Children's Services
- Communications and Marketing
- Community Centres
- Community Planning
- Community Transport
- Economic Development
- Events
- Health Promotion
- Maternal and Child Health
- Recreation Planning and Construction
- Town Place Plans
- Youth Services
It should be noted that in addition to the specific program areas listed above, Council uses particular community development processes across the normal course of its business. These include community engagement techniques in the development of the Council Plan and their strategic plans (e.g. Urban Design Frameworks), the use of Community Based Design processes and the involvement of community groups and members in the management of community facilities.
A key component in the Council Plan 2021-2025 is to: 'improve the customer experience and build
commitment and accountability to service standards and timely responsiveness.’
The Strategy will give Council an overarching philosophy as well as an explicit action plan to improve the
way Council’s customers are served. The central aim of the Strategy is to strengthen consistency and ensure staff are all ‘on the same page’ when it comes to the experiences delivered to customers.
The Golden Plains Shire Environment Strategy guides the management of the Shire's environment. This dynamic and broad ranging document identifies a series of actions to address a range of environmental issues.
The strategy was developed in consultation with the community.
Click on the link below to download a copy of the current strategy.
The Golden Plains Shire Community Vision 2040 reflects the community's hopes, aspirations and priorities for the next 20 years. The long-term visionary document was developed in partnership with a dedicated Community Vision 2040 Reference Group and was informed by extensive engagement with communities across Golden Plains Shire during 2020.
It was adopted by Council in December 2020, and will provide the strategic direction and framework for the development of the Golden Plains Shire Council Plan 2021-2025 in early 2021.
Click on the link below to download a copy of the current strategy.
Golden Plains Shire Social Housing Plan 2021-2024
As part of Council's participation in a regional Social Housing Planning project facilitated by the G21 - Geelong Region Alliance, the Golden Plains Social Housing Plan has been developed to sit alongside similar plans for each G21 council and a combined regional plan. The Plan outlines the need for more subsidised social housing properties and provides local information and perspectives to help shape the Government’s $15 million commitment, and support Council work constructively with the Government, developers and housing providers to increase access to local social housing.
Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Action Plan 2021-2025
Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Action Plan 2021-2025 is a guide to working with our community to enhance health and wellbeing outcomes across the Shire. The Plan has been developed in partnership with community members and health and wellbeing agencies and began by considering local health and wellbeing data that informed us about current issues and trends. The Plan was also developed with Federal and State Government priorities in mind and in accordance with the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.
Golden Plains Shire has an obligation to contribute towards community fire safety. Council recognises the potential threat fire poses to the community and aims to reduce this threat by developing and implementing the Municipal Fire Management Plan.
Golden Plains Shire - Open Space Strategy 2013-2017
The goal of the Open Space Strategy is to provide strategic direction when assessing the future provision of open space across the Golden Plains Shire over a five (5) year period. In consultation with Council and the community, ASR Research Pty Ltd have produced a report aimed at achieving the following objectives:
- An active, vibrant healthy and connected community.
- A profile of open space that Council and the community have the capacity to deliver, properly maintain and effectively manage.
- A range of suitably designed and accessible open space areas that are optimally used and adequately satisfy the various needs of the Golden Plains’ community, now and into the future.
- An equitable distribution of open space across the municipality.
- The protection, conservation and enhancement of open space areas with environmental and heritage values
Any decision in relation to open space within the Shire will be based on the level to which it satisfies strategic priorities outlined in the report. The report ranks action plan items according to a scoring system, however these rankings are used as a guide only and are subject to change.
Open Space Strategy 2013-17 (610 kb)
Golden Plains Shire – Paths and Trails Strategy 2013-2017
The goal of the Paths and Trails Strategy is to provide strategic direction when assessing whether to repair/upgrade/construct a path or trail within the Shire over a five (5) year period. In consultation with Council and the community, ASR Research Pty Ltd have produced a report aimed at achieving the following objectives:
- An active, vibrant healthy and connected community.
- A range of suitably designed and accessible paths and trails that are well used and maintained and adequately satisfy the various needs of the Golden Plains’ community, now and into the future.
- A profile of paths and trails that Council and the community have the capacity to deliver, properly maintain and effectively manage.
- An equitable distribution of paths and trails across the municipality.
Any decision to construct a path/trail will be based on the level to which it satisfies strategic priorities outlined in the report. The report ranks path development according to a scoring system, however these rankings are used as a guide only and are subject to change. Council wishes to convey its thanks to community members, council officers, and the consultant for their participation and cooperation in the development of these strategies.
Golden Plains Shire Council Reconciliation Action Plan
The Reflect RAP is the first Reconciliation Action Plan developed by Golden Plains Shire Council, under the Reconciliation Australia framework, and it outlines actions targeting the four strategic focus areas of Relationships, Respect, Opportunities and Governance.
At its meeting on 27 July 2021, Council adopted its Road Management Plan 2021-2025.
The Road Management Plan 2021-2025 (the Plan) is a key technical document that sets clear standards and Council’s commitment to managing local roads. The Plan identifies responsibilities, maintenance standards and inspection regimes for all road assets within Council’s control.
The purpose of a Municipal Road Management Plan is to establish a system for Council’s road management functions, which is based on policy, operational objectives and available resources and to set a performance standard. All Victorian councils are required to have a Municipal Road Management Plan.
Road Management Plan 2021-2025 (3.4 MB)
Golden Plains Shire Sport and Active Recreation Strategy 2020-2030
Council partnered with Sport and Recreation Victoria to develop a new Sport and Active Recreation Strategy to inform its policy, planning and delivery of sport and active recreation programs, infrastructure and services from 2020 to 2030.
The aim of this strategy is to:
- Inform Council’s policy and planning frameworks
- Develop the delivery of sport and active recreation infrastructure, programming and services for the period 2020 to 2030
- Improve liveability, and health and wellbeing outcomes for all residents
- Reflect the needs of the community
Golden Plains Shire Sport and Active Recreation Strategy 2020-2030 (2.73 Mb)
The Tracks and Trails Strategy was adopted at the February 2024 Council meeting.
Following extensive community engagement in January and February 2023 through a series of workshops, surveys, and consultations, approximately 200 responses from the community helped to shape the Tracks and Trails Strategy.
The Tracks and Trails Strategy aims to embrace the region’s recreational tracks and trails network; identify recommendations for addressing new trails, missing links and realignments; improve liveability and health and wellbeing outcomes for all residents; promote safe, active transport and commuting options to reducing reliance on motor vehicles; improve environmental outcomes and reflect the needs of the community.
The $60,000 Golden Plains Shire Tracks and Trails Strategy Project was funded by $30,000 from the Victorian Government’s Local Sports Infrastructure Fund’s Planning Category and $30,000 from Council.
Tracks and Trails Strategy
The Tracks and Trails Strategy is a strategic document that provides the Vision, Planning Principles, Goals and Actions to guide the planning, delivery, activation and management of trails throughout Golden Plains Shire.
View the Tracks and Trails Strategy
Tracks and Trails Strategy Detailed Action Plan
The Tracks and Trails Strategy Detailed Action Plan supports the Strategy by providing in-depth information on individual actions. It includes detail on stages for delivery, key partners, maps, priorities and costings to implement deliverables both across the network and at specific locations.
View the Draft Detailed Action Plan
There is also an Issues and Opportunities Paper which showcases background and context work completed for informing the Tracks and Trails Strategy. This paper includes a literature review, trends analysis, trails standards, community consultation data and an audit of the existing Golden Plains Shire Council network. This paper can be viewed here.
Golden Plains Shire Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy 2020-2030 Council’s Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy is a 10-year strategic plan for several service areas including garbage, recycling and organic waste collections, transfer station, waste education, litter and illegal dumping, and closed landfills and rehabilitation.
The Strategy has a range of interim targets and goals to be met over the next five years, as well as aspirational goals to work towards by 2030. The actions that are presented in the Strategy have been tailored through the results of the community engagement, analysis of waste data, the Victorian Government’s recycling reforms, including its four bin policy, and the state of current waste processing infrastructure.
Golden Plains Shire Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy 2020-2030 (1.5 Mb)
The purpose of the Youth Development Strategy is to guide Golden Plains Shire Council's Youth Development team over the next four years to achieve our vision: "That young people in Golden Plains Shire are healthy, resilient, empowered and actively contribute to building a better world."
The Strategy is in two parts:
Youth Development Strategy Part A (2901 kb)
Youth Development Strategy Part B (2515 kb)