Help shape the future of your community

Published on 28 March 2025

What would you like Council to achieve in the next 4 years?

After each local government election, the elected Councillors develop and commit to a strategic direction for Council over their 4-year term. This direction is documented as the Council Plan.

Mansfield Shire Council is now in the process of building its Council Plan and is asking community members to consider what the focus should be.

Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said this period would determine where Council’s puts in the most effort over the next 4 years.

“This process is meant to capture and build on the feedback we are constantly hearing from the community. We are already listening and acting. The last 4 years has demonstrated this, and we’ve achieved a lot in that time. Now, we are moving into a new era. We’re thinking about how we can make the best positive impact on this community, and we want to make sure we have heard everyone and taken all perspectives into account,” said Cr Rabie.

“We had well over a hundred submissions about the budget, and these submissions will be considered as part of this. Last year, we talked to children and families as part of our Municipal Early Years engagement. We’ll also be considering what we heard there as we construct our plan for the next four years.”

Council is undertaking several significant community engagements this year, including the long-term financial plan, the asset plan, a review of the Mansfield Shire Vision 2040 and the Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan.

As well as contributing online, community members can register to be part of a deliberative engagement panel that will help put together the Council Plan and deliberate on key aspects of the other long-term strategic plans.

“I strongly encourage everyone to take a few minutes and go to engage.mansfield.vic.gov.au to tell us what you need us to focus on over the next 4 years,” said Cr Rabie.

Feedback contributed before 25 April will be provided to the deliberative panel for inclusion in the draft plan.