Community input shapes major plans to lay strong foundation for next four years

Mitchell Shire Council’s next Council Plan, Budget and Strategic Resource Plan have been adopted following five months of community consultation.

A series of information sessions, surveys and listening posts were held across the Shire to seek ideas about what should be included, to help explain key elements of the plans, and to seek feedback on the drafts.

Submissions from the public were then considered, with a number of changes made before the final plans were adopted at the June council meeting.

Eleven written submissions were received on the draft budget, with six of these heard at a Special Hearings Committee earlier this month.

Following feedback from the community, several changes were made to the draft budget including:

• An increase of $115,000 to the Kings Park Netball Changeroom project.
• Delaying of the $300,000 Kings Park Agricultural Pavilion project due to grant funding not being available.
• A $22,000 increase to fund sealing works at JJ Clancy Reserve.
• A $28,000 increase to fund Stage 1 of the Pyalong Kindergarten works.

The Strategic Resource Plan, which sets out Council’s financial targets over the next four years, was also adopted.

This plan addresses several key challenges for Council including rate capping, population growth, investment in infrastructure and borrowing for long-term benefit.

Mitchell Shire Mayor Rhonda Sanderson said the plans would ensure Council was well-placed in both the short and long term with a strong foundation for the next four years.

“Our Council Plan outlines our community’s wants and needs over the next four years and identifies the ways in which Council can work with the community and other project partners to help achieve them,” Cr Sanderson said.

“The Strategic Resource Plan and Budget show how we are going to resource these commitments and provide critical infrastructure and services and plan for the needs of a growing community.

“Council would like to sincerely thank the members of the community who took the time to share their ideas and make a submission. Your input into these important documents is greatly appreciated and will help make Mitchell a place that we are all proud of for years to come.”