Key recommendations and findings on the Community Planning Review Project were delivered during the June Meeting of Council last week (27/06).
The report was based on feedback provided by community through conversations with local leaders and groups in Bealiba, Bet Bet, Carisbrook, Dunolly, Majorca, Maryborough, Talbot and Timor as well as the ‘Let’s Get Better at Community Planning’ workshop held in May.
The Review identified that Council’s next steps fall into three key areas: small triumphs, building a partnership model and funding a Community Development Officer role to support community planning.
Central Goldfields Shire Mayor Cr Grace La Vella said the review stemmed from a need to revisit the community township plans that were developed with each township four years ago.
“A lot has happened since then, so it was important that we not only review the plans but also our community planning so that we could understand how we can better empower and support our community.
“The review identified that whilst Council endeavors to facilitate a range of small successes for the community identified in the review, within the existing budget, it’s clear that sustainable traction and change depend on the appointment of a Community Development Officer.
“There is a strong desire for setting priorities and identifying community projects, the Community Development Officer will enable us to better support our community by connecting townships, leading improvements and developing a range of resources and tools we can use for community planning and ongoing funding.
“Community planning projects such as this help Council to develop a process that empowers community members to lead on the delivery of projects they’ve identified and source funding and resources communities wouldn’t have access to otherwise.”
