By Danielle Kutchel
The City of Casey’s administrators have unanimously voted to approve a suite of planning and strategy documents designed to steer the council into the future.
At a special council meeting on Tuesday 29 June, the three administrators voted to adopt the final suite of corporate planning documents, including its annual budget and council plan 2021-25.
Chair of administrators Noelene Duff began the meeting by reflecting on the process that had taken place to deliver the documents to the council.
She said “extensive community consultation” had taken place via the Shape Your City engagement program to shape the documents before they reached the meeting floor and thanked all the staff involved.
Ms Duff said that new communities and new parts of communities are being established in Casey on a daily basis, and council staff had engaged in creative means to reach them.
Moving the motion to adopt the sweeping suite of documents, administrator Miguel Belmar thanked those who had made submissions on the documents earlier this month.
“I’m mindful that tonight we’re adopting motions that set up long-term strategies for the community,” he said.
The council budget includes a general rates increase across the City of Casey of 1.5 per cent, in line with State Government regulations.
Mr Belmar said careful analysis had shown that with this increase, the council would be able to meet its commitments into the future.
He said hardship provisions – which were passed in the same council meeting after the approval of the budget and strategic documents – would assist those struggling to make their rate payments.
Fellow administrator Cameron Boardman said valid issues had been raised during public consultation on the documents and the budget.
He reiterated comments made in earlier council meetings that the council had considered a variety of options before settling on a 1.5 per cent increase in rates, noting their impact on the council’s forward financial plan and “ambitious and largest ever capital works budget”.
Mr Boardman said the administrators “thoroughly believe” that the option was in the best interests of the municipality.
He too praised the community consultation that had shaped the documents.
“This is setting the benchmark of how community consultation in the future will be conducted. I think it’s unparalleled anywhere in local government,” he said.
The Shape Your City program ran over six months from 2020-21 and fed into the Casey Long-Term Community Vision 2031 and the Council Plan 2021-25.
Other strategic documents endorsed at the meeting included the:
• Draft Annual Action Plan 2021/22
• Strategic Resource Plan 2021-2024 (which includes the Draft Budget 2021/2022, Capital Works Plan 2021/2022 and Draft 10 Year Finance Plan)
• Draft Fees and Charges for 2021/2022
• Draft Revenue and Rating Plan 2021 to 2025
According to the council, insights from Shape Your City identified a series of themes that ratepayers wanted prioritised and which now form part of the Council Plan and Vision, including:
• Cleanliness and maintenance of public spaces
• Reduced crime and improved safety
• Community connectedness
• Transport and improved access throughout Casey
• Improving confidence in the council
In a statement, Ms Duff said she was delighted to launch the strategic documents, which will guide the way we work and drive the direction of the City of Casey over the coming years.
“Both the Vision and Council Plan are designed to position Council to take this city forward and support us to be ideally placed to continue the work we do, while managing growth, creating social connections, building sustainable infrastructure, creating local jobs and delivering services,” Ms Duff said.
“The Council Plan defines seven strategic objectives for us to achieve over the next four years and I look forward to working with our community, staff and other levels of Government to accomplish these.”
The council’s $569.7 million total budget comprises a $421.17 million operating budget and a $148.5 million capital works program.
Highlights include $62.1 million to upgrade and deliver new recreational facilities, $46.3 million to construct and upgrade roads and footpaths, and $14.4 million towards renewing parks, leisure and recreational facilities.
Child, youth and family services will receive $48 million, while there’s $45 million for waste management and $24 million for arts and culture.
Some of the projects lined up in the 2021/22 Capital Works Program include:
• Construction of the Clyde Recreation Reserve for $17.75 million
• Casey Fields Soccer Stage 2 works, Cranbourne East for $15 million
• Construction of the Cranbourne West Sport and Recreation Reserve for $8.12 million
• A new family and community centre in Clyde for $2 million
• A new football and cricket pavilion at the Pearcedale Recreation Reserve for $2 million
• Upgrades to the Narre Warren North Kindergarten for $310,660
• Renewal of the Berwick Senior Citizens Centre for $230,440
