Have your say on the draft Council Plan

WHAT kind of future do you want for the Greater Geelong region?

Right now, you’ve got a chance to shape it by having your say on the draft Council Plan 2025–29.

This plan will guide Council’s priorities and decisions over the next four years.

It’s a roadmap for how we will deliver services, advance community outcomes and continue to build high-quality infrastructure while managing our budget and reducing organisational debt.

Geelong is growing fast. Our region is now home to more than 280,000 people and is Victoria’s largest regional city.

Living here has so much to offer – beautiful coastlines, a vibrant arts scene, world-class sporting facilities, as well as a burgeoning advanced manufacturing sector.

However, like anywhere else, we’re facing challenges like rising costs, ageing infrastructure and growing inequality.

The draft Council Plan sets out six key objectives: core and critical infrastructure, healthy and caring community, economic development, heritage and cultural identity, environment and circular economy and governance and integrity.

The plan also includes specific actions and measures to track our progress so the community can see how we’re doing.

The Council Plan is about making sure our roads, footpaths and facilities keep pace with demand.

It’s about supporting the health and wellbeing of our community, revitalising our economic precincts, protecting our environment and celebrating what makes Greater Geelong unique.

It’s also about being responsible with ratepayer money and ensuring every dollar spent has a real and lasting benefit for the community.

Local governments around the country are facing significant financial sustainability challenges – Greater Geelong included.

A few years of extraordinarily high inflation coupled with relatively stagnant income, largely due to Victorian government rate caps, has created ongoing financial pressure on the city’s operations.

The City of Greater Geelong is continuously looking for ways to create financial efficiencies as part of its annual business cycle.

The Council Plan has already been shaped by community feedback, including a deliberative panel. Now, we’re asking everyone to take a look and tell us if we’ve got it right.

Whether you care most about sport and recreation, rubbish and roads, the environment, early childhood and youth services or support for older people – this is your chance to help shape how the Council works for you.

We know there’s a lot going on in people’s lives and that local government planning might not always grab the headlines.

But this is a practical way to make your voice heard and influence the future of our region.

The draft plan is available on the City’s website now and is open for public feedback until 25 June.

It only takes a few minutes to read through and share your thoughts – and your input could help make sure Council’s priorities line up with what matters to you.

If you care about how Geelong grows, how your rates are spent and how we make our region fairer and stronger for future generations, please read the plan and submit your thoughts.

We want input from as many of you as possible so we can make sure the Council Plan and the Council’s decisions align with community expectations and meet your needs.

Head to geelongaustralia.com.au/yoursay to give your feedback.

Cr Andrew Katos

Deakin Ward, City of Greater Geelong