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2016 Major Strategic Review & Policy Update

Clear Shire Direction

The Council at their meeting at the end of June adopted its new Strategic Community Plan, Corporate Business Plan and Long Term financial Plan following extensive community consultation.

The draft plans were released for a four week advertising period at the end of May. During that period the Shire President, Councillors and the Chief Executive Officer held two information sessions on the draft plans.

A total of 13 submissions where received from the community, one submission was received from a Councillor and Officers recommend Council amend one of its actions and add a new one. A summary of the submissions together with a copy of every submission received was presented to Council at the June meeting. At this meeting Council resolved to amend the plans in the following way as a result of the submissions:

New actions added included:

  • Conduct a review on Industrial land availability, demand and best location. (Year 1)
  • Investigate the creation of the York Equine Precinct. (Year 4)
  • Beautification of York Project. (Year 1- 4).
  • The Shire advocate for improvements to services at the York Hospital including availability of Doctors. (Years 1 – 4)
  • Prepare a Business Case on the development of the “Wandoo Way – scenic route to York and Beverley”. (Year 3)
  • Work with the community to investigate the development of the Baladong Track. (Year 2 and 3)
  • Review the Management Plan for Mt Bakewell. (Year 4)
  • Lobby the State Government for a one off “Asset Improvement Program” to bring roads, footpaths and drainage up to a standard which can be maintained into the future by the Shire. (Years 1 – 4)
  • Actively work to encourage community partnerships to develop and maintain parks and trees, including “friends of each park.” (Years 1- 4)
  • Review communication methods with the community for the organisation. (Year 1)
  • Review the format and process for Council Agenda Briefing and Councillors forum. (Year 1)
  • Lobby the State Government for upgrades and improvements to Great Southern Highway (Lakes/Chidlow Road). (Years 1 -4)

Actions amended included:

  • Amend “Avon Park, riverside restoration, Avon Trail etc Concept Design” project in the Corporate Business Plan to include the words “design and implement the project in partnership with local community groups”.
  • Amalgamate all Town Hall upgrade projects into one initiative called “Town Hall Upgrades – restumping, painting and acoustic improvements”. (Years 1-4)
  • Change the name of “YRCC Management review” in the Corporate Business Plan to “YRCC capital and operating costings review and future management arrangements”

Further details on the submissions and recommended changes can be found as part of the Minutes for the June Council meeting on the Shire’s website.

These amendments will be made in the documents and copies of the final plans will be printed and put onto the Shire’s website.

Major Strategic Review 2016

The Council launched the 2016 Major Strategic Review process at its 28 January meeting with an invitation to the community to be involved in discussions around four main themes - Engagement and Consultation plan.

The Local Government Act 1995 and Regulations require the Council to review and identify the community’s preferred strategic direction every four years and look at what, how and when the Council will invest in that desired future over the next ten years. It must develop a Strategic Community Plan which sets out the ten year objectives and approach for the community and a Corporate Business Plan which focuses down in more detail on what Council will do over four years.

The Council is also required to develop a Long Term Financial Plan which sets out the overall financial approach to managing funding the many demands on the Shire. Other key documents are the asset management plans which identify what funding is needed to maintain the Shire’s assets and associated service levels. These along with individual strategies and the Shire Workforce Plan are key inputs into the review process. This review process must happen every four years.  

Comprehensive Policy Review

A key mechanism for the Council to direct the Shire organisation and provide guidance to the community is through the adoption of policies which set out a course and/or principles of action. Conducting a comprehensive review of policies has therefore been one of the Council’s top priorities.

The new policies have been developed to take account of the Council’s desire for:

  • inclusive, open, accountable and transparent democratic processes
  • a responsive Council and organisation
  • processes that, while discharging responsibilities, are empathetic to the circumstances of people affected by the polies
  • structured probity management (‘probity’ means strong moral principles: honesty and integrity)
  • structured approach to managing risk, including associated asset management

Overall, the new policies have a greater focus than previously on principles. The principles are intended to be touchstones for decisions made under the policies and are as important as the policies themselves.

Click Here for Policy Documents