Council is committed to engaging with residents on decisions that affect their lives, and public consultation on a number of projects wrapped up in January.
Draft Active Ageing & Inclusion Plan 2020-2024
Council’s Draft Active Ageing & Inclusion Plan 2020-2024 was open for public feedback from 16 December 2020 to 31 January 2021. The Draft Plan provides the framework to address active ageing, disability access and inclusion issues across all areas of Council’s operations.
The Active Ageing & Inclusion team held five in-person consultations across the Shire in January, including two in Bannockburn, and one post each in Meredith, Dereel and Smythesdale. Community members were also able to Zoom into the Smythesdale and first Bannockburn consultations. Council received feedback from 33 residents.
Feedback received during the initial round of engagement in 2019, and the most recent public exhibition process is currently being considered and incorporated into the final plan. Council will consider adopting the final Active Ageing & Inclusion Plan 2020-2024 at its February Meeting.
Teesdale Structure Plan
The Teesdale Structure Plan and Planning Scheme Amendment C92gpla were on public exhibition from 25 November 2020 to 25 January 2021. The Teesdale Structure Plan is a strategic planning document that will guide the future growth of Teesdale. Initial engagement was undertaken in late 2019, and this recently completed consultation was part of the final process to incorporate the Structure Plan into the Planning Scheme, following Council’s endorsement of the Draft in April 2020.
During the public exhibition period, Council received 22 submissions from community members, developers and agencies, expressing diverse views on the content of the Structure Plan. Council will consider the submissions and a recommended path forward at the March Council Meeting.
In the event there are objecting submissions to Amendment C92gpla that cannot be resolved, the matter will be referred to an independent Planning Panel appointed by the Minister for Planning for a resolution.
Inverleigh Play Space Name
Community members were invited to vote for their favourite of four potential new names for the park containing Inverleigh’s newest play space at 1 East Street. Following the rejection of the community’s preferred name by the Victorian Geographic Names Registrar, voting was open from 16 December 2020 to 29 January 2021 on four compliant names:
- Leigh River Park;
- Inverleigh Community Park;
- Inverleigh Play Park; and
- Yerram Yaluk Bun (translation: bank of the morning river).
At the close of voting, Council had received 115 votes. Several residents have requested to present a submission to Council regarding the names, and Council will consider these and receive the voting results at its February Council Meeting. A final Council decision will be made at the March meeting, before being sent to the Geographic Names Registrar for final acceptance and gazettal.
Linton Committee of Management
Locals were invited to help guide the management, activation and future use of the Linton Shire Hall through an EOI process to establish a Committee of Management.
Once home to the old Shire of Grenville, the historic building in the heart of Linton was most recently used as a limited Customer Service Centre, meeting space and office for Council. Following an upgrade to Council’s Smythesdale Customer Service Centre at The Well to allow for a full-time service, customer services were transitioned out of the Linton Shire Hall.
Nominations to join the committee were invited from 3 December 2020 to 22 January 2021. An open day to provide more information and access to the building was held on 14 January 2021, and 20 community members attended. Council received nine nominations, and following consideration from a review panel, successful applicants were recently informed. The new committee is anticipated to meet by the end of February, before transitioning to formally managing the facility.
Draft Community Engagement Policy
Council sought public feedback on its Draft Community Engagement Policy as part of its commitment to improve how engagement is undertaken by Council. The Draft Policy provides a clear and succinct process that improves Council’s existing practises to ensure deliberative engagement opportunities are well planned, inclusive, accessible and appropriate. Feedback was open from 26 November 2020 to 11 January 2021, and no submissions were received. The Community Engagement Policy will now go to the February Council Meeting to be considered for adoption.
Future of the Cambrian Hill Bore
Due to safety concerns identified in September 2020, Council was required to close the bore, stand and tank at Heinzs Road, Cambrian Hill. From 15 December 2020 to 15 January 2021, Council invited Cambrian Hill, Ross Creek and Napoleons residents to provide their feedback on the future of the bore and their use of the facility through a survey. Council received 75 responses from community members, and this feedback will now be used by Council to consider the future of the facility at an upcoming meeting.
Bannockburn Growth Plan
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) has also recently provided Council and interested community members with an update on the Bannockburn Growth Plan, following its consultation process last year. The Bannockburn Growth Plan will guide the sustainable growth of Bannockburn to the year 2050, and community submissions were invited from 26 October to 23 November on the Plan and associated draft planning scheme amendment.
During this period, the VPA received 36 comments and questions from members of the public, and a total of 39 written submissions. The VPA is working to resolve these submissions were possible, and has published a Public Consultation Report on its website: vpa.vic.gov.au/project/bannockburn-growth-plan.
As part of the VPA – Fast-Track Program, the Bannockburn Growth Plan will now be considered by the VPA Projects Standing Advisory Committee, which will provide advice on the draft planning scheme amendments to the VPA and Victorian Minister for Planning.
Still time to have your say on the Council Plan 2021-2025
Council’s engagement on the Council Plan 2021-2025 and Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan is still open and closes on 21 February 2021. In addition to recent in-person and online engagement sessions, community members can still help shape Council’s priorities for the next four years by completing the survey in the latest edition of the Gazette or at Council’s website.
Join the Community Engagement Register
To stay up-to-date with all Council’s community engagement opportunities, click here and sign-up for our Community Engagement Register. Community members who register are informed directly by email of Council’s many engagement opportunities including surveys, workshops, conversation posts and community reference groups. In 2021, a new community engagement newsletter will be launched and sent regularly to the full Community Engagement Register.