We will soon be concluding the early stages of the City's Council Plan development, with community feedback closing on 15 September 2024.

Community members have been encouraged to join our deliberative engagement panel and utilise our feedback channels, including an online survey, to have their say in helping to shape the priorities for Council through its next four-year strategic plan.

While the panel of community members has now concluded its deliberations, the survey remains open online until 15 September, taking around 10 minutes to complete.

Community members met for a total of 15 hours across four sessions in August as part of a deliberative engagement panel.

Panel members were provided with a wide range of information, including presentations by City officers, municipal data, community sentiment and responses to panel questions to build informed participation.

A private page was also set up on our Have Your Say website for panel members to share questions, comments, and to interact with each other between sessions.

Through the deliberative process, the panel provided rich insights to support Council’s integrated strategic planning, including identifying:

• key values, challenges and opportunities for the City,
• overarching topics based on where the panel would like Council to focus its efforts for the next four years, as well as guiding principles,
• the key priorities and associated outcomes under the overarching topics, and
• health and wellbeing priorities and outcomes.

The panel will present their recommendations to the incoming Council in February 2025.

The majority of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they enjoyed the process and they would recommend participation to friends or family. In addition, some panellists shared that they would like to see a greater cross-section of the community involved including more young people.

The Council Plan outlines how the Council will work towards the Greater Geelong community’s long-term vision of a clever and creative future.

It guides decisions on how and where Council invests in facilities and infrastructure, and what services and programs are needed to support the social, economic and environmental sustainability of the region.

It also includes the City’s Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan, focused on improving the health and wellbeing of the local community.

Our Council Plan 2025-29 is due to be finalised within 12 months of the October Council elections. The existing Council Plan, Our Community Plan 2021-25, is available to read at www.geelongaustralia.com.au/ourcommunityplan

Executive Director Corporate Services Troy Edwards  

The community has the opportunity to guide Council priorities, and in turn be instrumental in shaping the future direction of Geelong, by participating in the Council Plan process. 

The survey doesn’t take long to complete but it is vital to bringing community priorities to the forefront.

Geelong community panel member

“This opportunity is invaluable, I hope this engagement will continue in future, and look forward to seeing better outcomes.”