Community Engagement and Public Transparency

2031 PLAN 2022 LONG TERM FINANCIAL

Community Engagement and Public Transparency

Under the Local Government Act 2020, Council is required to prepare the 10 year Financial Plan in accordance with its deliberative engagement practices

Greater Dandenong People’s Panel

In accordance with the new Local Government Act 2020, Council formed the Greater Dandenong People’s Panel to undertake a deliberative engagement process on both the Council Plan and Long-Term Financial Plan. This process involved the recruitment of randomly selected residents and business owners in the City of Greater Dandenong to create a new vision and principles for 2040.

The panel of 31 met during April – June 2021 to discuss the future of our city and highlight the needs and aspirations of its people. They were provided with a range of information including background information on Council’s key challenges and the results of the broad community consultation. Eight guest speakers were also invited to engage with the panel and share their experience across a variety of areas including art and culture, sustainability, sport and recreation, and manufacturing. This enabled the panel to have well-informed discussions and carefully consider multiple points of view and various options before coming to a consensus.

As part of developing the new vision the Greater Dandenong People's Panel was asked to develop some key principles which would help guide Council in its long-term planning for the future of our city. The new vision and principles developed by the panel have influenced the priorities of the Council Plan and the Long-Term Financial Plan to the maximum extent possible.

The following six principles are:

• Principle 1: Safe and Peaceful Community • Principle 2: Education, Training, Entrepreneurship and Employment Opportunities • Principle 3: Sustainable Environment • Principle 4: Embrace diversity and multiculturalism • Principle 5: Mind, Body and Spirit • Principle 6: Art and Culture

Some of the panel’s recommendations included more affordable long term parking spaces with the Greater Dandenong area, preserving, promoting, planting and planning with a focus on a sustainable future, implementation of more accessible and attractive transport routes and ensuring infrastructure can be utilised for more than one purpose (multipurpose community hubs). The panel also suggested a range of other considerations including recommendations for community safety, homelessness, and affordable housing.

Council’s existing financial and strategic commitments, as outlined within the large number of specific strategies and plans developed over the last few years, are also reflected in the Council Plan. For example, the Climate Emergency Strategy, Urban Tree Strategy, Children’s Plan, Disability Action Plan, and the Food and Tourism Strategies.

The inputs and recommendations from this panel have informed the Finance Plan, Council Plan 2021-2025, and four-year budget and will also inform a range of Council’s future strategic work, projects and service delivery.