The collective future in the hands of Surf Coast residents

RESIDENTS of the Surf Coast Shire will get to have their say on a 10-year plan that will help determine what is important for the collective future of the region.

The Shire last week announced a major engagement and strategy project called People Place Future which will call on community input to establish long-term plans across the Surf Coast.

A 10-year community vision will be the main purpose for the project as well as establishing several strategic documents including a four-year Council Plan, Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan and a finance and assets plan.

The strategy will feature two major community engagement phases with the first now open to the public on a participatory basis until February 28.

Phase one will invite community members to share their big ideas for the future of the shire and to provide answers on what they value most about their local community.

The second phase will involve a deliberative process centred on a representative community panel made up of 35 people from across the region.

Under the second phase the panel will review the initial feedback received from the broader community while exploring the topics through a series of online meetings and resources.

Guided by an independent facilitator, the panel will meet between March and May before handing down a recommendation report to the council reflective of the community’s needs and values.

Surf Coast Shire mayor Libby Stapleton said the council looked forward to hearing the results of the engagement project.

“Using deliberative engagement means community members have the opportunity to dive deep into the data, learn about the issues in a more complete way and provide a rich level of feedback to council,” she said.

Council will use its email database and advertising channels to invite residents to express their interest in joining the representative community panel, however a date has yet to be confirmed.

“The recruitment panel is being managed by an independent company that specialises in establishing groups that reflect the make-up of a given community,” Mayor Stapleton said.

“This means, amongst other things, we will have representation of our age profile, geographic spread and a mix of permanent and non-permanent residents.”

The People Place Future survey is currently available at www.surfcoast.vic.gov.au/peopleplacefuture