At last night’s December Meeting, Golden Plains Shire Council endorsed the Draft Active Ageing & Inclusion Plan 2020-2024 (Draft Plan) to go out for public feedback.
The Draft Plan provides the framework to address active ageing, disability access and inclusion issues across all areas of Golden Plains Shire Council’s operations.
Building on the work undertaken in Council’s Access and Inclusion Plan 2016-2019 and Ageing Well in Golden Plains Shire Strategy 2012-2016, an initial round of community engagement and consultation with residents, Council staff and stakeholders occurred in August and September 2019. This feedback helped identify access barriers, issues, opportunities and potential priorities, and these have incorporated into the Draft Plan.
The Draft Plan identifies access barriers or opportunities and outlines 51 actions across four priority areas: Our Social Environment; Our Support Environment; Our Built and Natural Environments; and Our Leadership. The document also provides timeframes for Council to implement these actions and outlines communication, monitoring, review and evaluation of the proposed plan.
The Draft Plan is now on exhibition, and all residents are invited to have their say until Sunday, 31 January 2021, by email to [email protected]; or mail to Golden Plains Shire Council, PO Box 111, Bannockburn, VIC 3331.
The Draft Plan is available at goldenplains.vic.gov.au/consultations. Residents can also request a hard copy of the document at a Council Customer Service Centre at 2 Pope Street, Bannockburn or 19 Heales Street, Smythesdale or by calling 5220 7111. In January, Council’s Active Ageing & Inclusion team will also hold a number of in-person consultations on the Draft Plan:
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Bannockburn: 18 January, 10.30am to 12pm, Bannockburn Cultural Centre, 27 High Street
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Meredith: 18 January, 1.30 to 3pm, Meredith Community Centre, 4 Russell Street
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Dereel: 20 January, 10.30am to 12pm, Dereel Community Centre, 14 Swamp Road
- Smythesdale: 20 January, 1.30 to 3pm, The Well, 19 Heales Street
Residents will also be able to Zoom into the Bannockburn consultation from 11 to 11.40am, and the Smythesdale consultation from 2 to 2.40pm.
Mayor Cr Helena Kirby says all residents are encouraged to have their say on Council’s Draft Active Ageing & Inclusion Plan 2020-2024.
“Golden Plains Shire is home to an estimated 3,380 residents who are over the age of 65, and more than 4,000 residents with a disability. Many of these residents face challenges and barriers in their everyday life and interacting with Council, which is why we’ve developed the Draft Active Ageing & Inclusion Plan.
“The Draft Active Ageing & Inclusion Plan 2020-2024 seeks to improve the overall quality of life for our residents who face accessibility challenges, by removing barriers and making it easier for them to interact with Council. The document will guide Council into the future as it identifies the needs of our older residents and people with a disability, and assist us at Council to improve awareness of ageing, disablement and any related issues in Golden Plains Shire.
“Thank you to the residents who provided really valuable insights during our first round of consultation last year. I strongly encourage those and all other residents, particularly those with a family member who faces accessibility challenges, to read the document, visit one of our consultation posts and provide feedback on the draft plan.”