Next stage of town planning begins

THE next stage of the Golden Plains Shire community planning process is set to begin this month.

Mannibadar, Cape Clear/Illabrook/Rokewood Junction, Linton, Meredith, Bannockburn, and Garibaldi are the next communities to be put under the microscope as residents and municipal officers look to the future and develop four-year local plans for each area.

Golden Plains Shire’s acting director community, planning and growth Emma Wheatland said the plans for these townships will be developed over the next 12 months.

“Council has engaged experienced community development professionals, Not Profit Training, who will mentor and coach the next six towns to assist them in consulting and engaging their community, identifying key priorities that are responsive to community needs, and developing a four-year Community Plan,” she said.

“During mentoring sessions, community coordinators will identify stakeholder and community assets, and partner with community groups for priority projects.

“Once a plan has been endorsed by the community, it’s then launched through a community gathering or event and groups then work over the next four years to implement the priority projects identified in their plan with key stakeholders.”

Ms Wheatland said the aim of each plan is to identify and work towards priority projects, establish costings, and how they may be funded.

“The plans also bring the community together to respond to current community needs, while working together to achieve common goals,” she said.

“They link community groups, residents and volunteers and help foster sustainable communities.”

Residents of the communities taking part in the process are being invited to contact their town community coordinators, join them, and influence plan development.

“People can also reach out to council’s community partnerships officer, who can link them in with coordinators in their town and community members can also volunteer on specific priority projects of interest for complete one-off volunteering,” Ms Wheatland said.

“Council officers would encourage those residents with any concerns to engage directly with their community coordinators in the development of the plan, as community plans are developed and owned by individual communities, not by council.

“Council’s role is to provide an independent mentor to ensure integrity in the process of the development of the plan and to ensure the plan represents community goals and aspirations, not those of council.”

“Council assists communities in the implementation of their community projects by providing advice, guidance and linking Coordinators into opportunities that will see the successful delivery of outcomes against their plan.”

Ms Wheatland said each planning process is an important one in giving locals a voice and letting them have ownership over where they live.

“Community members are best placed to identify and action projects to improve their own communities, and building the planning and project capacity within local communities ensures sustainability and responsiveness to community needs and aspirations,” she said.