In Summary
- Council invites residents to participate in an online survey to help shape the 2025 – 2029 Council Plan, focusing on future priorities and activities.
- Council emphasises the significance of community input in creating an inclusive, transparent and representative plan that aligns with the aspirations of the region's residents.
- The survey is available online until Friday 13 September 2024, with hard copies accessible at various regional locations for those preferring manual submission.
- Residents can express interest in joining a Community Panel through the survey, and assistance is available for those needing help with the submission.
The Council Plan provides the opportunity for us to plan the future of our community together, with a primary focus on the key priorities or activities that Council needs to undertake in working towards our future.
When a new council is elected, the process of developing a Council Plan for their four year terms commences. Hence, consultation has commenced in working towards the 2025 – 2029 Council Plan being adopted next year. The strategy details the vision, goals and strategies to guide Council’s service delivery, activities and decision making over a four year period.
While the Council Plan is the most critical strategy, it is informed by long term plans and activities such as the Community Vison, Community Plans and our service strategies. Importantly the Council Plan informs how resources are allocated including the annual Council budget and department business plans.
The current community survey is the first step in the Council Plan development process. We are therefore seeking feedback from our community through an online survey to assist with determining the vision, themes to be explored and next steps.
The survey also provides the opportunity for people to express an interest to be a member on a Community Panel.
Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Fiona Le Gassick, said it is crucial for the community to share their feedback during this initial consultation phase.
“The survey provides the first opportunity for our residents to tell us their priorities in shaping the future of the region,” she said.
“The benefit of having members of community make the most of the Council Plan consultation opportunities is being able to gather diverse ideas, perspectives and concerns that help create a more inclusive and representative plan.”
Ms Le Gassick said this engagement enables our community to influence and inform decisions and leads to increased transparency, accountability, and trust between Council and our residents.
“Ultimately, community consultation results in a plan that reflects the true aspirations and priorities of the people we serve, resulting in a more vibrant, well-informed and thriving Greater Shepparton for all,” she said.
“I encourage everyone to sit down for 10 to 15 minutes to share your thoughts to ensure our Plan aligns with your needs and aspirations. Your opinions are important to us, and it’s only via working together that we can create the future we want.”
For those who prefer to manually fill out the survey, hard copies and survey boxes are being made available during limited times for the next four weeks, in locations around the region including Neighbourhood Houses, regional general stores and Post Offices, libraries and Council’s Customer Service counter at 90 Welsford Street, Shepparton.
The survey is open until Friday 13 September 2024 and the online version can be found on the Shaping Greater Shepp website here.
If you require assistance to complete your submission, please contact Council at council@shepparton.vic.gov.au or via (03) 5832 9700.
