Have your say on the Draft 2021-2025 Council Plan and Community Vision

Published on 21 June 2021

Residents are encouraged to have their say on Gannawarra Shire Council’s Draft 2021-2025 Council Plan, which outlines where Council, and the community, wants to be in 2025 and how it will achieve those outcomes.

Developed following an extensive community engagement process undertaken between late January and mid-February, the Draft 2021-2025 Council Plan outlines the goals Council will aim to achieve between now and mid-2025.

“During the past four years we have seen the Gannawarra grow into a region renowned for its diverse agriculture sector, its renewable energy opportunities and the potential for the area to become Victoria’s nature based tourism destination,” Mayor Charlie Gillingham said.

“The Draft 2021-2025 Council Plan, referred to as Growing Gannawarra, aims to build on these objectives and focus on our efforts to embrace the health and wellbeing, connectivity and productivity of our community.”

The majority of residents who participated in the community engagement process identified the natural environment and community/lifestyle as the Gannawarra’s strengths, with access to services, such as access to health and early years services and recreational infrastructure, being a challenge.

“This feedback led to the identification of three goals, encompassing the themes of Liveability, Growth, and Sustainability, which are each aligned with strategic priorities that Council will strive to achieve during the next four years,” Mayor Gillingham said.

“These goals also help form the Gannawarra’s long term Community Vision, which recognises the Gannawarra’s need to be resilient to the changing environment and to promote growth through encouraging economic diversity, creating unique tourism destinations, and embracing our cultural and natural assets.”

The accompanying Draft Year One Action Plan identifies a number of innovative projects and continuous improvement actions that Council will aim to achieve during the 2021/2022 financial year. Each year Council will review progress against the Council Plan.

The Draft 2021-2025 Council Plan also includes the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan and identifies goals and strategies for creating a local community in which people can be supported to achieve maximum health and wellbeing.

“The renewal of the Gannawarra Shire Council Plan and Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan, undertaken every four years, enables residents to identify what they like most about where they live, what challenges the community faces, what services are needed and what the community believes Council should focus on,” Mayor Gillingham said.

 Residents will be able to provide feedback regarding the Draft 2021-2025 Council Plan and Draft Year One Action Plan online at www.gsc.vic.gov.au/councilplan or by writing to Council at PO Box 287, Kerang VIC 3579  Submissions close 5pm, Thursday 22 July 2021.

“I encourage all residents to have a look at the Draft 2021-2025 Council Plan and Draft Year One Action Plan and have your say on these important documents,” Mayor Gillingham said.

“Copies of the plan are available at Council’s Kerang and Cohuna customer service offices, or online. All submissions received will help formulate the final version of the 2021-2025 Council Plan and Year One Action Plan, which will be adopted by Council.”

For more information regarding the Draft 2021-2025 Council Plan, please visit www.gsc.vic.gov.au/CouncilPlan