"Welcome to Stonnington 2040.
A modern, sustainable and interconnected community that supports the good health and wellbeing of all.
Our community is a safe, accessible and creative city that celebrates and embraces all cultures including First Peoples past and present."
At its meeting on Monday 22 September, Council unanimously adopted Stonnington Tomorrow - our Community Vision 2040 and Council Plan 2025-29. Also adopted was the Asset Plan and the Health & Wellbeing Strategy - key guiding documents that help bring Stonnington Tomorrow to life.
- Stonnington Tomorrow(PDF, 10MB) includes our Community Vision 2040 and our Council Plan 2025-29. It sets out a community-led blueprint for the future, identifying long-term goals for 2040, and the key directions Council will take over the next four years to achieve them.
- Our Asset Plan 2025-35(PDF, 21MB) outlines how we'll manage our assets – from roads and drains to parks, pools and community facilities – in a smart and sustainable way. Strategic management of our assets will ensure a well-connected city that moves well, with clean waterways, welcoming open spaces, and quality community facilities.
- The Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-29(PDF, 13MB) sets out our approach to improving health and wellbeing in Stonnington, with a strong focus on prevention and partnerships. The Strategy aims to support a healthy, connected and thriving community for everyone who lives, works, and spends time in Stonnington.
Mayor Melina Sehr says the new Council Plan sets a clear path forward reflecting community priorities.
"The adoption of Stonnington Tomorrow shows we are well prepared to tackle the future. While we have some big challenges ahead as a council – from economic pressures and a changing climate to the demands of a growing population – our community has given us a clear direction.
"Reliable infrastructure, safe streets, and quality open spaces will guide us toward a sustainable future-fit city, a place where our community can thrive. I want to thank everyone who contributed, especially our People's Panel, whose voices played a vital role in shaping this plan."
Funding Stonnington Tomorrow – an ongoing conversation
Stonnington Tomorrow is bold and ambitious – as it should be. However, we recognise that Stonnington is operating in a challenging financial environment.
Like many councils across Victoria, we're facing growing cost pressures. The gap between the income we receive from rates and the cost of maintaining our essential services and infrastructure is widening.
Continuing to reduce spending without longer-term planning is not sustainable, not if we want to maintain the services and facilities that make our city great.
To address this, we're also developing a longer-term funding framework – Funding Stonnington Tomorrow – to guide future decisions and further community conversations later this year and into 2026.
This isn't just about how we generate revenue. It's about how we:
- deliver services in smarter and more efficient ways
- manage and use Council-owned assets to better serve the community
- prioritise funding to meet evolving needs and challenges
- advocate to other levels of government for increased financial flexibility + autonomy.
