This is the question that forms the basis of Greater Shepparton City Council’s new survey, seeking community ideas and feedback to help shape council’s next four-year plan.
Work on the Council Plan 2025-2029 has already commenced, and community input will help confirm the vision and priorities.
In accordance with the Local Government Act, council is required to develop a four-year council plan to guide decision-making, service delivery and resource allocation.
The plan will cover objectives, initiatives and priorities, as well as indicators for measuring progress, for the next four years.
To capture these thoughts, an online survey is available through the Shaping Greater Shepp website.
The survey gives community members a chance to share their vision for the region and identify the three most important needs for their local area.
The survey will also help inform a community panel, which residents can register their interest in joining after completion.
The panel members will represent their community in discussions about the information collected through the survey.
Council is seeking a diverse range of members for the community panel, including those of differing ages, genders, locations, backgrounds and cultures.
Council chief executive Fiona Le Gassick said the council plan was an essential strategy in providing clear, community-driven direction for the future of Shepparton.
“It is critical that we hear from as many community members as possible to inform the council plan, so we want to hear from the community what is important to them and what they value, and their vision for Greater Shepparton over the next four years,” she said.
“And while the council plan is a requirement of the Local Government Act, we are committed to working with the community to ensure that Greater Shepparton continues to be the place they call home.
“We look forward to undertaking the council planning journey in partnership with our community.”
The planning process also includes consultation to inform the public health and wellbeing plan, financial plan and revenue and rating plan, which are also requirements of the integrated planning and reporting framework.
The survey is open until Friday, September 13, and the final four-year strategy will be adopted in June 2025.
The survey can be accessed at shaping.greatershepparton.com.au/ with hard copies available at the customer service counter.
Contact council@shepparton.vic.gov.au or call 5832 9700 with any inquiries or for assistance.