The adoption of these important strategic documents follows more than eight months of community engagement to ensure they reflected the views, vision, and direction of those living in the shire.
Strathbogie Shire Mayor, Cr Chris Raeburn, said Council was proud to adopt a new Council Plan and Community Vision that was bold, but achievable.
“The Community Vision must look at least 10 years into the future and essentially describes how the Shire will look and feel like to live, work and visit,” Cr Raeburn said.
“We have chosen to adopt a 19-year timeframe, so our vision has a timeframe of 2040.
“The Financial Plan identifies how Council’s human and financial resources will be allocated over a 10-year period to support the achievement of the vision.
“While the Council Plan has a four-year lifespan and is the driving strategic document for the organisation and the Council alike. It sets out the objectives, strategies and actions to be implemented as we work towards the Community Vision.”
The Community Vision and Council Plan was developed with the input of the community through Council’s first ever Community Forum.
The forum ensured an independently recruited representative sample of representatives from across the Shire came together to debate, learn, and made recommendations to include in the Council Plan.
“For the very first time we also set the development of our Community Vision at the empower level. This means we put the development of our Community Vision entirely in the hands of our panellists and promised to implement what they decided,” he said.
“The Community Vision they created captures our goals, feelings and describes our region perfectly.”
The new Community Vision is:
The Strathbogie Shire is a region of natural beauty with vibrant communities who are respectful, optimistic and inclusive. We have a strong sense of belonging and of our collective history. We care deeply for Country and First Nations people. We are bold. We embrace opportunities. We welcome you.
The Council Plan also includes the performance measures Council will use to measure its success and outlines regular community updates to report on progress.
It identifies more than 35 initiatives which Council will deliver, advocate for, or partner with a community group or organisation to drive. Key initiatives include:
- Adopt the draft Memorandum of Understanding with the Taungurung Land and Waters Council.
- Launch a new Strathbogie Shire website
- Review and implement the Tracks and Trails Strategy
- Scope and secure funding for the development of a Cycling Strategy.
- Prepare a playground strategy following the adoption of the Open Space Strategy.
- Complete an Asset Plan to guide future investment in buildings, plant and infrastructure through the 10 Year Capital Budget.
- Implement the Climate Change Action Plan for Council operations.
- Prepare a planning scheme amendment to include an environmentally sustainable development policy.
