Residents across the 22,000 square kilometre Mildura Rural City Council local government area have another opportunity to shape Council's strategic direction for the coming four years, and our region's long-term priorities.
Council's Draft Community Vision 2021-2040 Update and Draft 2025-2029 Council Plan are currently out for public feedback, outlining what the organisation will do over the next four years based on the long-term aspirations of our community.
Mayor Helen Healy said the Community Vision and Council Plan are Council's most important documents, guiding everything the organisation does during the current Council term.
Developed by the community in 2020, the Community Vision 2021-2040 outlines our community's long-term aspirations, goals, priorities and values and is informed by feedback from thousands of local residents.
It has been updated to reflect any changes in our community's priorities since then, with feedback sought late last year and fresh feedback from 1,300 people over the past 12 months.
The Council Plan is developed at the start of each new Council term and sets out Council's strategic direction for the coming four years, in line with the Community Vision.
"Both of these critical documents are already the result of a comprehensive community consultation process to help us better understand what is important to our community," Cr Healy said.
"This feedback – more than 3,000 community responses – will shape everything we do, from the services we provide to the major priorities we advocate for.
"This will ensure everything we do is aligned with the needs, aspirations and goals of the community we serve.
"I'd like to thank the thousands of local residents across the length and breadth of our huge municipality for their valuable insights. You're helping to set the trajectory for the organisation and our community for the next four years and beyond."
The Draft Community Vision 2021-2040 Update is based around the following five pillars, shaped by our community:
- Environment
- Community
- Place
- Economy
- Leadership
The Draft 2025-2029 Council Plan meanwhile outlines Council's initiatives and projects for the coming four years divided across the five pillars of the Community Vision.
The Mayor said an important element of the Council Plan was ensuring there were indicators to help measure Council's progress.
"Our community has taken the time and effort to help us develop this critical document, and it's important we measure our progress throughout the coming four years to see if we're hitting the mark. It's about achieving tangible, positive outcomes across our municipality and striving to make this an even better part of the world to call home," Cr Healy said.
"It's also about continuing to deliver the more than 100 services our community rightly expects and deserves in an environment of ever-increasing costs and cost-shifting from other levels of government.
"We're only able to do this through continually striving for cost efficiencies within Council, which is something that is imbedded in each department to ensure our financial sustainability."
The Draft Council Plan outlines more than 100 major initiatives, each with its own timeline and strategic outcomes.
Cr Healy encouraged the community to review the Draft Community Vision Update and Draft 2025-2029 Council Plan to provide any final feedback before it is endorsed by Councillors.
Both documents are available to view and provide feedback on at yoursay.mildura.vic.gov.au/your-vision-our-plan. Feedback can be provided until Friday 23 May.
