Mayor Cr Chris Meddows-Taylor Tuesday 26 October 2021

Published on 26 October 2021

Today marks the day when months of community engagement over key plans and strategies concludes, as Council will consider final versions of the ten year Community Vision, the Long Term Financial Plan, together with the four year Council Plan and the Community Health and Wellbeing Plan.

Last month Council endorsed a number of community led priorities for the eight township Community Plans.

In addition we have held engagement sessions on the 2021-2022 Council Budget and been undertaking community conversations in Carisbrook. Countless draft policies and strategies have been placed with the community for feedback.

Our key documents have needed to be developed using deliberative engagement requiring numerous meetings and establishing a Community Advisory Group.

This has been a massive task. As Mayor I have been required to lead the engagement process. I want to acknowledge and thank Kylie Long, Council’s Community Engagement Manager supported by her team, for an outstanding contribution.  I enjoy this immensely and as always with community engagement, I learn so much including confirming the nonsense of two popular assumptions.

Many say you are not a true local until you have been around for countless decades. The extent of newcomers to our Shire who were part of this engagement and passionately want to volunteer and contribute to its future turns this on its head.

We hear young people don’t want to support our community projects. This is clearly false. Many young people readily signed up to future priorities and initiatives.

A reminder common assumptions are not necessarily real.