Overview

We're moving to the next phase of engagement on our review of key strategic documents that will inform the direction for Council's service delivery for the next four years.

In February we asked how you would like to engage with us - you said a mix of online, in-person, and group discussions. In July we asked if you think the Community Vision, endorsed in 2018, is still relevant, and for your initial thoughts on the strategic objectives you would like to see considered in a new Council Plan.

On the back of this, we are now shifting the conversation to focus on the review of the Asset and Financial plans.

These documents all influence the way Council delivers activities and services.

Providing your feedback to help inform the reviews of the Asset and Financial plans, alongside recent feedback on the Community Vision and Council Plan strategic objectives, is a significant opportunity to influence Council decision-making. We are keen to hear from as many people as possible.

We are also starting an initial conversation to help inform the Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan. Previously this has been incorporated into the Council Plan, but this year we will be delivering a stand-alone document. You can learn more about the Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan.

Quantifying the asset renewal gap

Council looks after tens of thousands of physical items and infrastructure that stretches for many kilometres across our municipality. This includes civil infrastructure - such as roads, bridges, drainage, and footpaths; and social infrastructure, such as buildings, open spaces, arts and culture, and recreation facilities.

All come with responsibilities and financial burdens for current and future generations. But there are also challenges in making decisions around asset management where Council needs to balance performance against costs and between a growing population demanding more and better and existing assets requiring upgrading and upkeep.

Given Council spends more on the maintenance and renewal of assets than anything else, the question we are keen to understand is, have we got the balance right between the cost and quality of our assets with the changing needs of the community, and what compromises, if any, our community might be prepared to accept in terms of maintaining, upgrading and renewing, to determine our delivery strategies.

Building our financial roadmap

Balancing the books is also becoming increasingly challenging for Council in the face of increased costs of service delivery and infrastructure development, and our limited range of revenue options. We are largely reliant on rates.

We've previously asked our community to help us understand spending priorities as part of engagement on the Annual Budget. We're now asking you to think about this across a 10-year period, not just one. Fundamentally we want to understand how you feel about continued spending on current services and any appetite for rationalising or reducing services to reduce costs.

Council looks after a large asset portfolio consisting of 54,400 physical items with a total estimated replacement value in excess of $1 billion dollars.

This Plan guides the efficient and effective management of these assets, such as buildings, roads, and drainage systems, through to footpaths, bike paths and parks and ovals, over a 10-year period.

It is designed to ensure these assets are managed in a way that ensures they are fit for purpose for the community – now and for future generations – while also providing best value outcomes throughout their lifecycle in terms of cost, taking into account things like population growth, demographic changes, ageing infrastructure and technology advances.

The Asset Plan 2022-2032 focuses on four asset classes:

• Open Space - parks, public open spaces and streetscapes, along with recreational, leisure, and community facilities.
• Drainage - underground pipes and drainage pits that manage stormwater flow.
• Transport - public roads, footpaths, kerbs, carparks, and bridges.
• Buildings - ranging from sporting and community facilities through to recreational facilities and public toilets.

You can download a copy in the document library.

As part of our review, Council will be undertaking a benchmarking exercise to rank the current state of our assets against the 2024 National State of the Assets Report to better quantify what is known as our 'renewal gap' - this is the funding we will need to set aside each year just to maintain our assets as they are today, before considering any improvements or new builds.

Balancing the books is becoming increasingly challenging for Council in the face of increased costs of service delivery and infrastructure development and limited range of revenue options.

Just as residents are dealing with increasing cost of living expenses, Council finances have also been impacted.

Multiple years of State Government rate caps have further impacted our financial position. And as a landlocked Council, we have limited alternative income opportunities beyond rates.

The Long-Term Financial Plan (Financial Plan) considers both the current financial situation and future projections to support delivery of projects, initiatives, and programs our community thinks are most important for our City over the next 10 years.

You can download a copy in the document library.

More than 500 contributions helped inform the current Community Vision which sits in the Community Plan - Maribyrnong 2040, endorsed in 2018.

In July we asked if you thought it was still relevant. Most who responded said it was okay, but could do with some work. We'll be further unpacking what this would look like with the community in November.

You can download a copy in the document library.

The Council Plan guides what we do and how we do it over a four-year period.

The most recent Council Plan was adopted in June 2021 and outlines Council's vision for "creating an inclusive, flourishing, progressive city that cares for both its residents and its environment".

It establishes the strategic objectives for the next four years including actions to achieve them.

The Council Plan 2021/25 also incorporates the Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan which focuses on improving the physical, social, natural, cultural, and economic environments that impact community health.

It is reviewed annually to consider emerging community needs.

A new Council Plan is developed every four years following the election of a new Council.

You can download a copy in the document library.

February to May 2024:

We first wanted to understand how you would like to be involved in this project and asked you to complete a short online questionnaire or chat with a new two-way communication tool, Hello Lamp Post, launched in April, on a trial basis.

You told us your preference is online, but you'd still like the opportunity to talk in person or provide hard copy feedback. You'll find a summary of initial feedback in the document library.

July 2024:

We asked for your thoughts around the strategic direction Council should consider including in the next Council Plan 2026-2030. There was spme support for the current strategic objectives but also a desire to see a greater focus on the environment and sustainability.

You also told us you thought the current Community Vision, endorsed in 2018, was okay, but could do with some work.