Residents to get first say on towns” future

Karen Hart
A COMMUNITY group has welcomed council plans to give Drysdale and Clifton Springs residents the first chance to shape their towns’ futures.
Council will seek residents’ input on a structure plan for the towns first rather than follow a traditional process of drawing up the strategy then seeking public comment last.
Ward councillor Tom O’Connor said council had decided to “to do things differently” this year to make the Drysdale and Clifton Springs plan “more community driven”.
“We plan on talking to the community first rather than the planning department drafting the structure plan and then talking to the community,” Cr O’Connor said.
“Various community groups will be given the chance to address issues that will form the bones of the structure plan.
“People and groups in the community would work independently to the council’s planning department, which means the structure plan will be more community owned and driven.”
Cr O’Connor said the plan still needed “more work” but hoped residents and groups would attend a public meeting to discuss the strategy.
“At the moment we’re looking at putting up notices urging anyone interested to come to a meeting but we’re still in the early stages of organising that,” he said.
The City would ask sport groups, community associations, schools and arts and culture groups to take part in drafting the structure plan, Cr O’Connor said.
Drysdale Clifton Springs Community Association president Wayne Elliott welcomed the process but thought it needed “more structure”.
“We as an association met on Wednesday night to discuss the plan and, while we think it’s a great idea to consult with the community first, we do believe it needs some structure so all groups involved know their responsibilities,” he said.
“The opportunity is there for open discussion and that’s great for the community.”