Towns participating in the most recent round of Council’s Community Planning Program including Dereel, Maude/Sheoaks/Steiglitz, Inverleigh, Teesdale and Shelford have now finalised their Community Plans.
The most recent round of Council’s Community Planning Program was launched in May 2022, and over the past 12 months, Council has worked with Community Coordinators from each town to engage and consult with their communities on key issues and projects, identify and prioritise topics and use that information to develop a four-year action plan.
A robust Community Plan is one that: encompasses the views of as many people in the community as possible; states the shared vision for the future; identifies key themes, resources and areas for action; includes monitoring and reviewing processes.
Now finalised, the Community Plans will now be launched back into the community with key actions to be undertaken over the life cycle of the plan (4 years).
The next round of Council’s Community Planning Program will launch in August 2023, with the next six towns to commence the Community Planning process to include: Mannibadar, Cape Clear/Illabarook/Rokewood Junction, Linton, Meredith, Bannockburn and Garibaldi.
Mayor Cr Brett Cunningham congratulated the towns for finalising their Community Plans ad welcomed the new towns that will soon commence the Community Planning process.
Community Planning is a Council program that enables local residents to create a shared vision for their local community and build on the connection between communities and local government.
It is fantastic to see the community come together to identify their values, what’s important about where they live and what they would like to see happen in their community in the future through the development of a Community Plan.
I can’t wait to see the priority projects get underway over the next four years in the towns that have just launched their Community Plans. I also look forward to the development of the Community Plan’s in the upcoming six towns to embark on their Community Planning journey over the next 12 months.
Snapshot of the top 6 Priority Projects
| Dereel | 1. Feed our community – Expand on current community food garden 2. Knowing our community - Develop a Community Asset Map of groups and individuals including skills that already exist in the community. 3. Engaging Our Community – Determine ways to better engage the community and provide access to sharing information. 4. Fun in our community – create community pride by developing an annual event that brings community together. 5. Honouring our community – Maintain Dereel’s historical artifacts and restore Dereel’s World War 1 Honour Board. 6. Connecting our community – Investigate expanding on the current playground to incorporate a fitness trail with exercise stations. |
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Maude/Sheoaks/ |
1. Community events – develop community events that improves community connectiveness. 2. Relocating Steiglitz School Building – Develop a project plan to investigate and successfully achieve the location of the school building to retain historical assets for community use. 3. Community Hub, Maude – Advocate for funding and construction of a new Community Hub. 4. Additional Playground Equipment – Support the Maude Recreation reserve Committee of Management with RAP requirements to sensitively install playground equipment. 5. Tennis Court Net Upgrade – Purchase new tennis nets for Maude Recreation Reserve 6. Steiglitz Walking Track – Advocate for improved signage for walking tracks to increase safety and enjoyment by users. |
| Inverleigh | 1. Community social event – Organise a community social event to include as many people as possible and provide opportunity to bring community members together. 2. Historic Train Station Restoration – Restoration of the Inverleigh Railway Station to preserve the historical value and town’s cultural site. 3. Town Centre Gazebo – Improve the area around the Town Centre Gazebo to eliminate trip hazards and improve accessibility. 4. Community Bike Racks – Provide bike racks that are located strategically around town to encourage more people to use bicycles. 5. Community Garden Beds – Upgrade and maintain the community garden beds and work with the RSL to enhance landscape around the War Memorial. 6. Local History Preservation – Raise awareness and preserve history through the installation of visual guides and update printed material. |
| Teesdale | 1. Upgrade Don Wallace Recreation Reserve facilities – work with the Recreation Committee to refine and implement the upgrade plan. 2. Creation of bike/walking track to Bannockburn – Advocate with Council for a multipurpose track on the road reserve between Bannockburn and Teesdale. 3. Upgrade the notice board at the General Store – Upgrade and provide a lockable notice board with a box for submissions. 4. Revise speed limits through town – Advocate with Vic Roads to extend the 60kph zone and extending the 4kph school zone past the store. 5. Pedestrian crossing at the store – Advocate to Vic Roads to install a pedestrian crossing between the store and carpark. 6. No more subdivisions – Advocate with Council to limit subdivisions to retain the country town feel. |
| Shelford | 1. Rejuvenating our Halls – Restore, renovate and resolve current building issues so spaces are suitable for community use. 2. A playful space – Re allocate, make safe and improve the current playground. 3. Advocating for Safer Roads – Create and implement and advocacy plan to improve road networks. 4. Maintaining life on our River and Common – Make improvements to walking tracks and installation of usable equipment, seating and public art to increase use and pride of the space. 5. Developing the Cricket Club as a facility for all – Improve te Cricket Clubrooms to include male and female changerooms, expand seating and kitchen. 6. Renew the loo – Refurbish the public toilets including adding a path from the carpark. |
The Batesford Community Plan is currently being finalised with the final plan to be launched in October 2023.
All towns in the most recent round of the Community Planning Program applied for and were awarded with Council’s Community Planning Seed Funding for up to $10,000 per town.
Seed funding is a specific funding stream available to communities undertaking the Community Planning Program and is valuable to assisting the implementation of projects by communities. This funding can also be used to leverage or source additional funding through State and Federal government, philanthropic organisations or provide funds to undertake further fundraising opportunities.
To discuss the Community Planning program and Community Coordinators, please contact Council’s Community Partnerships Officer on 5220 7157 or email [email protected]