Community comment open for Draft Access and Inclusion Strategy

2 September 2019 - Media release

Campaspe Shire Council has released a draft Access and Inclusion Strategy, a document which sets out Council’s commitment to equal participation, for community comment.

Mayor, Cr Adrian Weston said the strategy which was developed with key organisations and agencies as well as input from the wider community, has a long-term vision of ‘Campaspe enables communities to be accessible, inclusive and equitable’.

“Whilst access and inclusion for people with disabilities remains at the centre of the document, it recognises there are a range of people and groups who experience barriers to equal participation.”

“Our strategy broadens this traditional scope, identifying nine ‘Communities of Priority’ to be the focus for future actions.”

These nine communities are people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, culturally diverse communities, LGBTIQ+, youth, people with mental illness, older people, women and finally people with social disadvantage.

As well as identifying Communities of Priority, the strategy also identifies the outcomes to be achieved through actions across the next six years. Some of these include our communities feeling socially included and having equitable physical access.

Actions, to support the outcomes of the strategy, will be aligned to the four strategic objectives being to:

Plan and deliver Council services that enable access and inclusion. Ensure Council’s decision making processes include participation by, and consideration for, Campaspe’s Communities of Priority. Advocate for the needs of Council’s identified Communities of Priority. Develop and maintain partnerships that support the needs of Council’s identified Communities of Priority.

To support community discussion on the draft strategy, staff will be at the following locations:

Tuesday, 17 September            12noon to 1pm      outside Rochester IGA

Tuesday, 24 September            12noon to 1pm      outside Echuca Cotton On

Tuesday, 1 October                  12noon to 1pm      outside Kyabram Woolworths

The draft Access and Inclusion Strategy is available on Council’s website and customer service centres. Members of the public are invited to make comment on the draft strategy by 5pm on Thursday, 10 October.