Plans and strategies

The Mount Alexander Shire Council Annual Report provides information on the services delivered by Council to the community in the financial year and the way in which those services are provided, a detailed financial report and financial statutory reporting as required by under the Local Government Acts and Regulations.

Under the Local Government Act 1989, Council is required to prepare an Annual Report by 30 September each year.

Select the hyperlink to view the Annual Report 2013/2014.
Select the hyperlink to view the 2012/2013 Annual Report.
Select the hyperlink to view the 2011/2012 Annual Report

The Mount Alexander Shire Arts Strategy 2011-2015 has been prepared following a community engagement process, review of arts activity in the Shire and relevant policies and plans. This strategy follows the Council Plan 2009-2013 objective: “to encourage a vibrant community that promotes participation in the arts and an appreciation of our cultural heritage”.

Three broad goals of the art strategy 2011 – 2015 are:

* Valuing the vibrant arts and cultural sector’s contribution to the Shire
* Nurturing the sustained growth of arts and cultural industries
* Celebrating and promoting cultural activity in Mount Alexander Shire

Select the hyperlink to view the Arts Strategy 2011 -2015

Council adopted the 2016/2016 Council Budget and Annual Plan at its Ordinary Meeting on Tuesday 23 June 2015.

The new budget places emphasis on the design, renewal and maintenance of facilities and infrastructure to deliver better buildings, roads, footpaths, tracks, trails, parks and gardens as priority actions for the year ahead. To meet this goal, rates will rise by 4.5 per cent, down from 6.5 per cent last financial year. Kerbside bin collection charges will increase by 7 per cent.
The proposed budget will deliver a $10.39 million Capital Works Program. Highlights include:
• Roads – the $2.84 million program includes more than $2 million for road works as part of the grant-funded Roads to Recovery program.
• Buildings – $1.04 million allocated to works on community buildings, includes $277,000 for improvements to Castlemaine Kindergarten.
• Walking and Cycling – $1.02 million to complete the Castlemaine to Maldon bike trail, and connect Mackenzie Hill to Castlemaine.
• Investing in Sport – $170,000 for the design of netball courts and $120,000 for an irrigation upgrade at Wesley Hill Recreation Reserve.
• Playgrounds – $141,000 to install a district level playspace at Taradale Mineral Springs Reserve, supported by grant funding of $87,000.
• Bridges – the $515,000 budget includes replacement of School Road Bridge in Barfold, and designs for bridges on Nuggetty Road, Strathlea Road, Vaughan-Tarilta and Melcalfe-Taradale Road.
• Landfill – $2.31 million to design and commence works to remediate old cells at the Castlemaine Waste Facility.

New ongoing programs and initiatives include:
• Lighting the Regions – $98,280 to upgrade streetlights from standard energy lights to energy efficient LEDs.
• 2015 Flood Management Plan – $240,000 to undertake investigation and design works to progress recommendations in the plan, including $160,000 grant funding.
• Community Facilities Asset Management Plan – $70,000 to further develop the asset management plan to accurately record Council-owned and managed facilities.
• Event sponsorship – $10,000 support for Castlemaine Children’s Literature Festival and $8,000 to support the RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride to assist community and economic development.

The budget also includes a commitment to undertake a review of Council services to ensure they are delivered efficiently and reflect the needs of the community.

View or download the Budget 2015/2016, or read a summary in the budget media release.

The Community Engagement Framework has been developed to support the implementation of Council’s Community Engagement Policy. Council is committed to engaging with the community and ensuring clear and thorough communication through all community engagement undertakings.

Click here to access the Community Engagement Framework.

Mount Alexander Shire Council acknowledges the Dja Dja Wurrung as the traditional owners of the lands and waters of the Mount Alexander Shire. We also recognise all other Indigenous people of the Shire. We acknowledge the vital role that the traditional owners, the local Jaara people, played as custodians of the region.

We acknowledge the Recognition and Settlement Agreement including the Land Use Activity Agreement registered in October 2013 between the Dja Dja Wurrung People and the State Government, affecting all Crown land in the Shire. We acknowledge that European colonisation caused disruption and grief to the indigenous population. This includes the alienation from their traditional lands and their cultural practices. We acknowledge the destructive impact of the removal of children from their families and culture.

We acknowledge the need to support reconciliation between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal people in the Shire.

On 10 June 2014 Council resolved to adopt the Commitment to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Peoples of the Shire Statement. Click here to view the adopted statement.

Council engaged K2 Planning in March 2010 to undertake a review of community services and facilities in the Shire. The objectives of the review were to:

a) Develop a clear understanding of who provides what, where and to whom;
b) Determine to what extent community services and facilities meet people’s needs; and
c) Identify what roles Council may play to improve access to community services and facilities.

The final report, endorsed by Council at its meeting of 8 March 2011, highlights issues and barriers to access, ranging from gaps in service coverage to difficulties that particular groups are experiencing in knowing what is available and ways of accessing these services.

The report includes an audit of existing health and community services in the Shire. This may assist service providers and residents in providing information about what is available and how to access these services.

Council will use the report findings to engage with service providers and funding bodies to advocate for improved services across the Shire.

Click on the link to access the Review of Community Services and Facilities in Mount Alexander Shire.

At the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Tuesday 25 June, Council adopted the Council Plan 2013-2017 which will guide Council’s activities for the next four years to meet the priorities and aspirations of the community.

The Plan outlines Council’s goals and priorities, the strategies for achieving these goals and performance measures to monitor achievement. A Strategic Resource Plan 2013-2017 forms part of the Council Plan.

Council put in place a number of ways to seek feedback from the community including community forums at Maldon and Castlemaine, daily information sessions at the Castlemaine Library and also at the monthly Farmers Market held in Castlemaine. This resulted in feedback from more than 450 community members. The Council Plan 2013-2017 has been prepared incorporating this community feedback.

“This Plan will provide the guiding framework for Council and it will ensure that we are in step with the expectations of our local community,” said Cr Michael Redden, Mayor of Mount Alexander Shire Council.

The Plan’s vision for Mount Alexander Shire is for “a thriving community working together to create a sustainable and vibrant future.”

The Plan has four goals:
1. A vibrant, healthy community
2. Better community facilities
3. A thriving local economy
4. Building sustainable communities

Click on the hyperlink to view the Council Plan 2013 - 2017.

The Council Plan is supported by an Annual Plan, which details activities that support the Objectives and Strategies defined in the Council Plan.

Click on the hyperlink to view the Annual Plan 2014/2015.

The purpose of the Customer Service Strategy is to set out the organisation’s commitment to customer service excellence and outline the key actions to be taken to achieve continuous improvement in customer service performance.

The plan sets out service standards that can be expected and provides a focus for the whole organisation to improve our performance in order to meet the community’s expectations.

To view the strategy, please click on the hyperlink, Customer Service Strategy.

Disability Action Plan 2011-2015 provides a framework for Council's commitment to improving access for people with disabilities to Council services, facilities and information. The document clarifies Council's legislation requirements, and identifies forty achievable actions for staff to implement over the next four years.

The Disability Action Plan is structured under four objectives, which are to:

1. Reduce barriers faced by people with disabilities in accessing goods, services and facilities
2. Reduce barriers faced by people with disabilities in obtaining and maintaining employment
3. Promote inclusion and participation in the community of people with disabilities
4. Achieve tangible changes in attitudes and practices that discriminate against people with disabilities

The four objectives above are part of the Victorian Disability Act (2006) and provide the framework for Disability Action Plans.

Click on hyperlink to access to the Disability Action Plan 2011-2015

Council has recently adopted the Economic Development Strategy 2013-2017.

The strategy’s vision is as follows:

“Mount Alexander will be one of regional Victoria’s most attractive places to live, work, and visit with sustainable growth and investment in a local economy increasingly structured around innovative, highly skilled, and service oriented businesses”.

This vision is to be realised through the following six objectives, under which forty one specific strategies have been formed to implement the Strategy.

Objective 1: Ensure that Council’s planning and policies support economic development.
Objective 2: Promote collaboration and innovation.
Objective 3: Provide targeted learning, skill development and business support.
Objective 4: Ensure that resources and infrastructure support business growth and innovation.
Objective 5: Improve factors that impact on liveability.
Objective 6: Promote Mount Alexander as a desirable place to live or visit.

To view the Economic Development Strategy 2013-2017 click here.

To view the Mount Alexander Shire Economic Profile 2013, which accompanies the profile, click here.

Council adopted a Gaming Policy Framework at its 14 December 2010 meeting. The purpose of the frame and policy is to guide decision-making on applications for electronic gaming machines and venues in the Shire. The Gaming Policy Framework identifies areas within the Shire that may be more vulnerable to gambling problems, based on socio-economic and demographic indicators.

Click on the link to view the Mount Alexander Shire Gaming Policy Framework

Council adopted Mount Alexander Shire Council's Gender Equity Statement at it's meeting on 11 March 2014. The purpose of a gender equity statement is to publicly demonstrate Council's commitment to gender equity, both within Council's operations and in the community.

At its Ordinary Meeting of 8 March 2011 Council adopted the 2010-2014 Environment Strategy.

Council has prepared a new Environment Strategy to guide future Council action on the environment. The Strategy is a key Council document that sits immediately below the Council Plan. The Strategy is in three parts:

1. A State of the Environment (SoE) report that assesses the current state of the Mount Alexander Shire environment;

2. A Strategic Framework and Action Plan that provides long-term direction to our plans and decision-making; and sets out the activities that will be done to implement the Strategy

Please contact the Sustainability Officer, Ben Bowman, on 5471 1736 if you have further questions in regard to the Strategy.

Learning from the previous Plan, this Greenhouse Action Plan aims to provide strategic guidance and specific actions to assist Council to comprehensively quantify and manage its greenhouse emission profile resulting from the operations and services it delivers to the community.

Focusing primarily on managing its own emissions, the Plan will assess which approaches provide the best financial and environmental outcomes in regard to mitigating and managing its greenhouse emissions exposure across the organisation.

Click on hyperlink to access the Greenhouse Action Plan

Council has prepared a strategy to guide its actions in relation to heritage over the next four years. This strategy provides a road map for building on the achievements of the past to enhance the broadest interpretation of heritage and build pride and activity across our organisation and community. It calls on both the Council and the community to play significant roles working collaboratively in a planned and efficient manner to achieve great things. Local government is able to do a great deal in protecting heritage, however it is in working in partnership with the community that there is even more scope, and this document provides strategies and actions for the community as well as Council.

Click on the link to access the Heritage Strategy and Appendices.

In the 2009-13 Council Plan, the Strengthening our Community section states that -

“It is Council’s goal is to provide an attractive environment where people have access to the facilities they need to engage in a range of recreational, cultural and social interests” and that “it is Council’s desire to provide services that attract and retain families and encourage young people to stay in the Shire, as well as services that support the ageing population and enable them to participate in community activities.”

With both these visions in mind the Investing in Sport: A strategic plan for Council’s investment in sport document was released recently. Council adopted The Strategic Plan For Councils Future Investment In Sport at its Ordinary Meeting of 14 December 2010.

The Plan identifies key issues and drivers of change that Council must consider when planning and developing sport and recreation facilities in the future. The Plan outlines changes and planning for the development of sport and recreation facilities in the Shire. In years gone by Council has had a limited capacity to invest in community sporting infrastructure and this is changing with improved financial management and planning.

Council can now plan for a significant new investment in sport and recreation infrastructure to promote increased participation in healthy physical activity through the development of better facilities that meet the needs of all users.

Select the hyperlink to view Investing in Sport

Reserve Master Plans

Master Plans have been developed in consultation with the reserve Committees of Management and users for the major Recreation Reserves. Please select the following link to view the Mount Alexander Reserves Masterplan

In February 2012 Council adopted a study into the social and economic impacts of the varying water levels in Lake Cairn Curran. This study provides an insight on the effects of drought and flood on communties and businesses close to the Lake and contains an Implementation Plan designed to mitigate those effects in future extreme weather events.

Lake Cairn Curran Impact Study

The Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) sets out Council’s objectives and recommendations for ensuring that Council is and remains financially sustainable.

The LTFP is intended to achieve the following objectives in the ten-year time frame:
• Maintain the existing range and level of service provision and develop the capacity to grow and add new services;
• Maintain a strong cash position, ensuring Council remains financially sustainable in the long-term;
• Achieve operating statement surpluses with the exclusion of all non-operational items such as granted assets and capital income;
• Maintain debt levels within prudential guidelines;
• Continue to pursue recurrent grant funding for strategic capital funds from the State and Federal Governments; and
• Ensure critical renewal is funded annually over the timeframe of the LTFP.

Click on the hyperlink to access the Long Term Financial Plan 2014-2024.

Council undertook a retail review of the Maldon central business district to identify opportunities for Council, local businesses and residents to work together to improve retail in the town.

Click here to view the strategy.

The Mount Alexander Shire Community Profile presents an overview of how many people live in the Shire, how the population is distributed across different age groups and how that is projected to change. The profile also provides an indication of the opportunities residents have to engage in the economic and social life of the community.

To view the profile click here.

In 2012 Mount Alexander Shire Council contracted the Swinburne Institute for Social Research to develop a Discussion Paper with the aim of providing (i) an overview of housing needs in the Shire, (ii) an analysis of Council roles and functions in relation to housing and (iii) identification of options for Council to seek increased supply of social and affordable housing in the Shire.

The Project Priorities document outlines key projects that are central to the future growth and prosperity of Mount Alexander Shire and which need a partnership approach to deliver.

Council has been advocating effectively for many years on issues and projects of importance to our community. The community consultation process that underpinned preparation of the Council Plan in 2013 confirmed several key projects that will contribute to the liveability and prosperity of our Shire.

click on the hyperlink to access the document Project Priorities 2013-2017.

Council recently endorsed the Project Plan for the Prevention of Violence Against Women in our Community project.

The project is a three and a half year pilot initiative funded by the Office of Women's Policy. The project aims to develop a whole-of-community model for the prevention of violence against women.

The Central Victorian cluster is a partnership between Mount Alexander Shire Council, City of Greater Bendigo and Macedon Ranges Shire Council.

Click on the hyperlink to access the Prevention of Violence Against Women in our Community Project Plan

Council adopted the Mount Alexander Shire Health and Wellbeing Plan 2013-2017 on 10 December 2013. The Plan identifies the health status of the Shire's population and sets out goals and priorities to protect, promote and improve community health and wellbeing over the next four years. Click on the hyperlink to access the Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2013-2017.

Roadsides are an important habitat for many species of flora and fauna, many of them threatened. Recognising this, Council has renewed its commitment to protecting and enhancing its many roadsides by developing a Roadside Conservation Management Plan.

This five year Plan brings together new ideas, concepts and available data to make informed management decisions and provide consistent and clear advice to the community.

The objectives of Council's Roadside Conservation Management Plan are:

- Improve conservation values and connectedness of roadsides to bushlands and adjacent farms
- Reduce fuel for fire and increase bushfire preparedness on roadsides
- Reduce feral animals and control the spread of existing weeds and avoid the outbreak of new weed species on roadsides

To view the Roadside Conservation Management Plan click here.

The broad objective of a Rural Land Study is to balance the zones available in the Victorian Planning Provisions to the needs of the key rural land uses: agriculture, biodiversity, tourism, natural resource use; recreation and cultural heritage, whilst allowing for flexibility and innovation, reducing future land use conflicts and avoiding fragmentation of land used for farming across the whole Shire.

The Rural Land Study has now being finalised and was adopted by Council on 11 February 2014. To view the adopted Rural Land Study click here.

The Shire News newsletter is distributed to homes across Mount Alexander. It is a regular newsletter with valuable information for all residents. Please click on the links below to view recent editions.

July 2015
May 2015
March 2015
December 2014
October 2014
August 2014
May 2014

In August 2010, Councillors endorsed the Sustainable Water Use Plan. This plan will guide Council's role in sustainable water use within Mount Alexander Shire. Click on the hyperlink to access the Sustainable Water Use Plan

At its Ordinary Meeting of 13 April 2010 Council adopted the 2010-2020 Walking and Cycling Strategy. This long term plan will guide Council's role in supporting walking and cycling activity across the Shire. Click on the hyperlink to access the Walking and Cycling Strategy.

At its Ordinary Meeting of 12 October 2010 Council adopted the 2010-2015 Waste Management Strategy. This long term plan will guide Council's role in sustainable waste management across the Shire. Click on the hyperlink to access the 2010-2015 Waste Management Strategy

On 20 February 2013, the Mayor and Ward Councillors met with residents of the Westend of Castlemaine to discuss recently raised concerns.

To view the minutes from this meeting please click here.

To view the Council's response to matters raised click here.

On 7 May 2013 Castlemaine Ward Councillors held a follow up meeting with residents of the Westend of Castlemaine.

To view the minutes from the meeting click here.

To view Council's response to the matters raised click here.

The Mount Alexander Shire Youth Engagement Charter aims to guide Council when engaging young people within decision making processes.

The document has been written by young people within the Shire who have identified key terms to consider when engaging with young people within community consultations.

There are 11 guiding statements written by young people within the document which are matched with 11 commitment statements developed in a collaborative workshop between Council staff and young people.

The statements sit under the following themes:

* Listen
* Facilitate
* Consider
* Engage

Click on the hyperlink to access the Youth Engagement Charter.