Shire’s four-year plan approved

GOLDEN Plains Shire council adopted its 2021-2025 plan during last week’s regular meeting.

The document outlines strategic directions and upcoming municipal projects, and director community services Lisa Letic said the plan also incorporates the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan.

The Council Plan was developed over several stages.

“Beginning in November 2020, [we saw] the adoption of the Golden Plains Shire Community Vision 2040,” she said.

“The Community Vision provided council with clear community guidance on the priorities for action, and a framework for the creation of the Council Plan, including four of the five themes. The fifth theme, leadership, relates to organisational performance.

“Extensive community engagement and a series of councillor workshops informed the development of a Draft Plan that was presented to council at its meeting on the 27th of April, and for public exhibition between the 28th of April and 26th of May, 2021.”

Ms Letic said the Plan also highlights the local government’s services delivered daily.

Along with leadership the other themes covered by the document include community, liveability, sustainability and prosperity.

Each theme contains several statements on ideal goals council would like to achieve by 2024, and lists relevant municipal departments responsible for assisting with them, along with ways they can be reached.

Ten submissions from the public, responding to the last draft document, were received and considered. That draft, now approved, incudes amendments prompted by this resident feedback.

Cr Brett Cunningham said the community consultation and feedback process was “well done” by council officers, ensuring the document is relevant to its ratepayers.

“The 2021-2025 Council Plan will assist with the future direction and introduction of priority initiatives and actions, and has a real focus, I believe, on delivering applicable services and infrastructure into the community over the next four years,” he said.

The Plan has been developed in line with the Local Government Act 2020.