Council Plan 2021-2025 Annual Review

The Council Plan is a four-year roadmap that sets out and guides Council’s strategic direction, objectives, and projects, all of which represent the work that Council does for our community.

The Council Plan is developed in the first year of a Council term. It is then reviewed and updated as part of the annual budget process to reflect the progress made and initiatives implemented by Council; setting the organisation’s strategic agenda for the next 12 months as we strive towards delivering the Community Vision of a sustainable, healthy, and thriving Shire.

The foundation of this Council Plan is built upon the pillars of the Community Vision. These pillars drive everything Council does: a sustainable shire, a healthy community, and a thriving community.

Below are just a few of the major initiatives and projects Council will implement over the 2024/25 financial year that aim to make Baw Baw a sustainable, healthy and thriving community:

A Sustainable Shire

  • Implement the Environmental Sustainability Strategy and corresponding Action Plan.
  • Identification and assessment of significant trees to develop a Significant Tree Register. The register will be considered for future protection amendments in the Baw Baw Planning Scheme.
  • Introduce Council’s separate glass collection service in 2024 and continue to prepare for the introduction of Council’s Food Organics and Green Organics (FOGO) service in 2026.
  • Commence implementation of Council’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Plan.
  • Finalise Council’s Circular Economy Policy and commence implementation.

A Healthy Community

  • Ongoing implementation of the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan and corresponding Annual Action Plan.
  • Undertake a final review of the Waste Management Plan 2021-2025 and commence the development of a new plan.
  • Continued advocacy for Council-endorsed priorities.
  • Assess the existing network of paths, trails, and reserves in Precinct Structure Plans (PSPs) to identify opportunities for connections to growth areas. This project also includes the targeted assessment of street cross-sections in the PSPs and in some cases the potential impact on surrounding vegetation.
  • Deliver strategic capital projects identified in the Long Term Infrastructure Plan, including:
    • Rokeby to Noojee Trail – Stage 1
    • Rollo Street, Yarragon Masterplan Project
    • Drouin Recreation Reserve – Oval Redevelopment
  • Continue the review and development of Council's Open Space Strategy.

A Thriving Community

  • Implement the Economic Development and Visitor Economy Strategy.
  • Support the local community economy and vibrancy through the support and delivery of events.
  • Implement the Creative Communities Strategy for Baw Baw Shire, supporting community vibrancy and engagement.
  • Continued focus on Shire roads and delivery of Capital programs across Council's Gravel and Sealed Roads, and Road Safety projects identified in the Long Term Infrastructure Plan.
  • Advocate for State Government support towards the implementation of the Best Start, Best Life reforms, including increased access to funding for infrastructure and ongoing maintenance obligations for Early Year’s services.

Enabling a Sustainable, Healthy and Thriving Shire and Community

  • Development and delivery of a Future Ready Baw Baw program, to meet the future needs of the community. Focused on Information Technology (IT), Services, Workplaces, and People.
  • Develop a Depot Strategy to ensure Council can continue to conduct works and deliver services that meet the needs of the community into the future.

To see the full Council Plan 2021-2025 Annual Review, please download it from the documents section.

Help shape the next Council Plan!

We are about to enter the final year of our current Council Plan, which is not only the perfect time to reflect on the accomplishments and achievements of the past three years but also an opportunity to look forward and begin planning for the next chapter.

If you would like to be involved in helping us craft the next Council Plan, complete the survey below and tell us why you would like to be involved.

The survey is open until midnight on Wednesday, 8 May 2024.

In addition to making your submission online, submissions can also be made:

Submitters will be invited to speak to their submissions at a Special Council Meeting on Wednesday 15 May 2024.

The Council Plan is a four-year roadmap that sets out and guides Council’s strategic direction, objectives, and projects, all of which represent the work that Council does for our community.

The Council Plan is developed in the first year of a Council term. It is then reviewed and updated as part of the annual budget process to reflect the progress made and initiatives implemented by Council; setting the organisation’s strategic agenda for the next 12 months as we strive towards delivering the Community Vision of a sustainable, healthy, and thriving Shire.

The foundation of this Council Plan is built upon the pillars of the Community Vision. These pillars drive everything Council does: a sustainable shire, a healthy community, and a thriving community.

Below are just a few of the major initiatives and projects Council will implement over the 2024/25 financial year that aim to make Baw Baw a sustainable, healthy and thriving community:

A Sustainable Shire

  • Implement the Environmental Sustainability Strategy and corresponding Action Plan.
  • Identification and assessment of significant trees to develop a Significant Tree Register. The register will be considered for future protection amendments in the Baw Baw Planning Scheme.
  • Introduce Council’s separate glass collection service in 2024 and continue to prepare for the introduction of Council’s Food Organics and Green Organics (FOGO) service in 2026.
  • Commence implementation of Council’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Plan.
  • Finalise Council’s Circular Economy Policy and commence implementation.

A Healthy Community

  • Ongoing implementation of the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan and corresponding Annual Action Plan.
  • Undertake a final review of the Waste Management Plan 2021-2025 and commence the development of a new plan.
  • Continued advocacy for Council-endorsed priorities.
  • Assess the existing network of paths, trails, and reserves in Precinct Structure Plans (PSPs) to identify opportunities for connections to growth areas. This project also includes the targeted assessment of street cross-sections in the PSPs and in some cases the potential impact on surrounding vegetation.
  • Deliver strategic capital projects identified in the Long Term Infrastructure Plan, including:
    • Rokeby to Noojee Trail – Stage 1
    • Rollo Street, Yarragon Masterplan Project
    • Drouin Recreation Reserve – Oval Redevelopment
  • Continue the review and development of Council's Open Space Strategy.

A Thriving Community

  • Implement the Economic Development and Visitor Economy Strategy.
  • Support the local community economy and vibrancy through the support and delivery of events.
  • Implement the Creative Communities Strategy for Baw Baw Shire, supporting community vibrancy and engagement.
  • Continued focus on Shire roads and delivery of Capital programs across Council's Gravel and Sealed Roads, and Road Safety projects identified in the Long Term Infrastructure Plan.
  • Advocate for State Government support towards the implementation of the Best Start, Best Life reforms, including increased access to funding for infrastructure and ongoing maintenance obligations for Early Year’s services.

Enabling a Sustainable, Healthy and Thriving Shire and Community

  • Development and delivery of a Future Ready Baw Baw program, to meet the future needs of the community. Focused on Information Technology (IT), Services, Workplaces, and People.
  • Develop a Depot Strategy to ensure Council can continue to conduct works and deliver services that meet the needs of the community into the future.

To see the full Council Plan 2021-2025 Annual Review, please download it from the documents section.

Help shape the next Council Plan!

We are about to enter the final year of our current Council Plan, which is not only the perfect time to reflect on the accomplishments and achievements of the past three years but also an opportunity to look forward and begin planning for the next chapter.

If you would like to be involved in helping us craft the next Council Plan, complete the survey below and tell us why you would like to be involved.

The survey is open until midnight on Wednesday, 8 May 2024.

In addition to making your submission online, submissions can also be made:

Submitters will be invited to speak to their submissions at a Special Council Meeting on Wednesday 15 May 2024.

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Contribute to the next Council Plan

    As we begin looking to the four years ahead, we invite you to express your interest in contributing to the next Council Plan.

    The development of the next Council Plan will involve a panel of community members coming together with Council to plan how we can continue striving towards the goal of sustainable shire, a healthy community, and a thriving community.  

    Complete the survey to tell us why you would like to be involved.

    Take Survey
Page last updated: 09 May 2024, 12:00 AM