A LINE was drawn under four years of bitter in-fighting and crippling controversy when residents went to the polls last October to elect a new City of Greater Bendigo council.
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Only two councillors – James Williams and Rod Fyffe – survived the purge as seven new faces were elected to guide this city and its surrounds until 2020.
The message from voters to the newly assembled civic leaders could not have been clearer: put the community first, or suffer the consequences.
Six months into the new regime, the signs are very positive. The council, under the leadership of mayor Margaret O’Rourke, has made a conscious effort to engage more broadly and deeply with constituents.
A series of ward-based engagement meetings has taken the councillors outside the urban base of Bendigo and into the smaller towns and villages where many marginalised residents reside.
The council has also been smarter in how it utilises the power of social media, with a recent campaign reaching more than 50,000 across the municipality.
However, the real test for this council will come on Wednesday when it unveils its draft Community Plan, which will go public exhibition for a month.
The Community Plan, which is a requirement under the Local Government Act, will outline the council’s vision and strategic direction for the next four years.
Formerly known as the Council Plan, the name change alone is an indication of the new direction this council is attempting to take. Councillor O’Rourke is adamant that the draft, which residents will be able to have their say on before it is finalised, has not been dictated to by “the suit brigade”.
She says it has been written by the elected councillors to reflect the views of the community that voted them into office.
Of course, ask 10 different people what the council’s priorities should be over the next four years and you’ll likely get 10 different answers.
But if the council has consulted as widely as it says it has, then some themes should start to emerge that must be reflected as it plots its way forward.
At a guess, things such as prudent financial management, encouraging population growth, job creation, improved infrastructure and more affordable housing will feature quite highly
We await the plan with interest.
- Ross Tyson, deputy editor
