golden plains shire community planning program manual · community coordinators are valued members...

Golden Plains Shire

Community Planning Program

Manual

Update February 2014

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Contents

Program Page 3

People Page 5

Plans Page 8

Process Page 9

Background Page 12

Attached Forms

1. Seed Funding

2. Council Contacts

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The Program

Aims

Golden Plains Shire defines ‘community planning’ as locality based planning which occurs through

an established set of processes.

Council aims to assist and strengthen the communities in Golden Plains, help them become more

environmentally and socially sustainable, foster a sense of community spirit and pride and

increase residents involvement in community life.

Community planning is about enabling communities to identify, find solutions and implement

projects that address social, environmental, health and wellbeing, infrastructure, cultural and

economic goals, issues and opportunities.

Council believes that local communities are best at identifying and resolving local issues and that

building ‘community capacity’ is essential to developing vibrant healthy communities. The

approach to community planning in Golden Plains is that planning is not done by Council for its

communities but by communities themselves.

The Community Planning Principles are that:

• Informed local communities are best at identifying and resolving local issues.

• Community planning works best when it is facilitated by Council but driven and owned by the

community.

• Developing long term partnerships between residents, community groups, governments, local

organisations and business increases the likelihood of healthy and sustainable communities.

• Whilst a particular community’s enthusiasm and involvement in community planning will vary,

all communities deserve an equal opportunity to become engaged.

• Successful community planning requires a commitment to Council’s broader community

development principles.

• Citizens actively involved in community planning are accountable to their own communities.

Outcomes

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A key outcome of community planning is how the process strengthens the community and builds

capacity of the residents.

Communities are given the opportunity to be more focussed on their own township issues and

plan for the future. Residents come together to develop a vision of their community which will

protect and enhance their township’s identity.

Council works with communities to assist them to take a holistic approach to planning that

combines all areas of their life; social, educational, health, recreational, environmental and

economic.

Council understands that when residents participate in and take responsibility for identifying the

solutions to their issues, they experience a greater sense of control over their lives and a greater

sense of well being.

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People

The program is a working relationship between Co-ordinators, Facilitator and Council.

Community Coordinators

Community Coordinators within Golden Plains Shire play an important part in leading their local

communities to plan and implement the projects which will help them to realise their vision.

Community Coordinators are valued members of the ‘team’ who live and work in Golden Plains

Shire. Community Coordinators have been operating in Golden Plains since the beginning of the

Community Planning program in 2000.

Community Coordinators are catalysts within their community. A catalyst is a person who assists

others to make change. As a catalyst they are not expected to ‘do the work’, what is asked of

them is that they ‘precipitate action’ within their community to make the change.

Coordinators:

• Assist their community to determine their vision

• Take up a role in the writing up of the community plan

• Assist in the adoption of the plan by their community

• Work with the broader community to scope the priorities in the community plan

• Identify local project champions

• Identify key stakeholders for each project

• Keep the wider community informed through regular communication and updates

• Are the link between council and community on specific projects

• Seek funding through the Community Grants program and other funding opportunities

• Attend 6-8 meetings per year

• Attend 2 combined Community Coordinators meetings

• Have ongoing contact with facilitator and GPS Community Development officer

• Make contact with relevant Council staff for advice about progressing projects

• Ensure council is aware of all new project implementations through the facilitator and

Community Development officer

• Celebrate successes within their community

• Are involved in the on-going evaluation of the program

• Share successes with other communities.

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Council Community Development Team Leader

1. Working with the Community Coordinators to:

• Respond to queries and concerns, and provide information when needed

• Introduce coordinators to other staff members relevant to their priorities

• Liaise with other Golden Plains Departments and officers on project queries

• Assist information flow between Golden Plains Shire and Coordinators via the Community

Coordinators’ Newsletter

• Assist with advice and support for submission writing or other relevant training

• Evaluate the Community Development program

• Celebrate the achievements of their community by organizing the Christmas function.

2. Working within the Golden Plains Shire to:

• Ensure all staff have an understanding of the Community Development program and the

role of Community Coordinators

• Ensure the Full Management Team have an understanding of the issues and needs of each

community

• Ensure that the Councillors have a clear understanding of each Community Plan in their

riding

• Ensure that the shared issues and needs addressed in Community Plans are available to

Councillors for their annual planning process.

• Plan and support Community Planning Groups presenting to Council soon after a plan is

reviewed.

3. Working with the Community Development Facilitator to:

• Assist with the community planning review process

• Provide a conduit between Community Coordinators and Golden Plains Shire Full

Management Team

• Assist with day to day organizational issues relating to community plans and projects

• Assist with the organization of the combined Community Coordinator’s meetings

• Receive and respond to reports.

• Primarily manage the facilitator contract with the support of an internal steering

committee.

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External Facilitator

Council engages an external facilitator, independent of Council, to assist communities with their

planning process.

Role and responsibility

• Support Community Co-ordinators in performing their role and responsibility.

• Report to Council Contract Manager on key deliverables

• Resource the Community Co-ordinators through the process of community planning;

Consultation, producing the draft, exhibition and adoption.

• Provide resource and guidance to co-ordinators through implementation of the

Community Plan

• Provide resource and guidance on specific project work

• Support the effective administration of community co-ordinator groups and meetings

• Organise Combined Co-ordinator Seminars on topics, themes and skills to benefit the

progress of the Program and co-ordinators.

• Provide examples and case studies of projects and community plans to demonstrate

innovative approaches

• Support the networking of co-ordinators and inter town connections

• Support co-ordinators preparing their presentation to Council.

• Provide an intermediary for communities and Council to explore and improve their

understanding of their respective roles and relationships

• Assist in the development of collaboration between communities and Council

Council

Community Planning is an important way of Council getting to know the communities in Golden

Plains and what is important to residents. By building capacity within communities through the

Community Coordinators, Council can work in partnership and assist communities to get what

they required.

Council Officers across the organisation work on the program include;

Project Manager - Community Development Team Leader

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Community Development Officers

Works and Maintenance officers

Events

Communications and promotion

Environment

Recreation

Arts, Culture and Festivals

Community Services

Health and Well Being

Plans

Community planning benefits communities because it allows towns to create a vision for their

future by gaining broad participation and sharing responsibility. These processes allow

communities to take control over their futures, to determine what they want for their towns, and

not have the town’s direction imposed on from outside.

Council plans and community plans

Priorities identified in Community Plans are a key reference point in the Strategic Plans developed

by Council. The local communities present their priorities for consideration by the Council agenda

through presentations to Council. Current community plan priorities are reviewed at key points

throughout the year by senior management and Councillors to inform Council planning.

Council receives specific information about each Community Plan and the agreed priorities for

each town. The facilitator provides Council officers with updated information after each meeting

and regular six monthly reports. This information is passed onto the Council through the Senior

Management Team at Golden Plains Shire.

This information is highly valued and is used when determining priorities for applying for external

funding (for example recreation infrastructure) and for identifying the need for specific Council

programs (for example open space planning). Other examples where community plans have

contributed to Council planning includes community transport, road construction and safety,

Telstra towers on Council land.

Community plans in action

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Communities generally have a number of very different priorities in their Community Plan. Some

of these are short term projects that can be done easily; others are long term projects and may

take years to come to fruition.

Communities achieve their projects by a number of different ways including developing

partnerships between residents, community groups, Governments, service providers and business.

This increases the likelihood of positive and sustainable responses to local needs and issues.

However the most important input comes from the community itself where many residents

donate hundreds of volunteer hours to see a project up and running in their community and

where Community Coordinators act as catalysts to ensure that it is completed.

Process

The Community Plan

Every two years, community members supported by the facilitator and Golden Plains staff to come

together to identify and select priorities for their community to include in the Community Plan.

Community consultation

The development of the community plan is through engagement with the local community. The

facilitators and Community Coordinators identify the key stakeholders and then plan and

implement the method to consult with their community. The draft community plan is exhibited

for comment and feedback. Pending exhibition and comment the community plan is finalised by

community coordinators who have nominate or have been nominated during the consultation.

Coordinators can then present their plan to Council.

Co-ordinators

Volunteer and nominated residents fulfil the role of Community Coordinators to consult, develop

and implement the objectives in the plan. Coordinators foster partnerships to complete the

projects, not do the work all themselves.

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Seed Funding

Council provides seed funding of up to $5,000 to be made available after a community plan is

review, exhibited and finalised to assist with priorities identified. Seed funding guidelines are

contained in this document and are available from the Community Development Team Leader.

Partnerships

Implementing projects and initiatives in the town plans with the support of Seed Funding are

conditional on a partnership with one or more local organisation. The partnership condition

ensures a collaborative and team approach.

Council Strategic planning

Priorities identified in community plans are a key reference point in strategic plans developed by

Council and the overall Council Plan. Council receives specific information about each community

plan and six monthly combined reports. This information is highly valued and is used when

determining priorities for external funding and for identifying the need for specific projects and

programs.

This process is represented graphically on page 11.

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Background

Golden Plains Shire includes 57 formally recognized ‘localities’ from which Council has identified

35 communities of common interest on a geographic basis.

Community is defined by a combination of locality boundaries as well as residents sense of

connection to a particular area. For example a resident may live within the locality boundaries of

Happy Valley but relate more to community activities in the nearby township of Linton.

This definition is applied in the context of community planning. Whilst Council recognises that

community may be defined by other groupings such as people with a disability or youth, the small

number of people in communities across the shire means that a geographic representation of

community is the most relevant and workable for community planning.

The program has been progressively developed since 1999/2000:

2000/2001 Five townships - Dereel, Lethbridge, Linton, Rokewood, Teesdale

2001/2002 Six townships - Enfield, Grenville/ Garibaldi, Meredith, Napoleons, Ross

Creek/ Smythes Creek, Shelford, Teesdale

2002/2004 Eight townships including a ‘rural settlement’ group - Batesford,

Berringa / Staffordshire Reef, Cape Clear / Illabarook/ Rokewood Junction,

Haddon, Inverleigh, Scarsdale, Smythesdale, Rural Wallinduc

2011 Two Communities included: Maude Steiglitz She Oakes and

Mannibadar Willovale

2013 Engaging Batesford and Bannockburn - New Community Plans

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Community Planning

Seed Funding Guidelines Community Planning Seed Funding Seed Funding facilitates and supports the implementation of a local project included in the community plan. Seed funding is made available upon completion of the community plan review and after the plan is adopted by the community. Reviews occur on a 24 month cycle. The community coordinators appointed during the plan review will demonstrate consultation with wider community before recommending seed funding be allocated for the project. What can be funded? Seed funding up to $5,000 can be made available to projects that meet the following criteria:

• Included in the Community Plan which has been decided upon by the wider community. • Determined by the appointed community coordinators after consultation with the community. • Completed within 24 months of the community plan review occurring.

What will not be funded?

• A project that is not in the community plan • Operational costs. Golden Plains Shire will assist to determine sustainable funding projects

if such costs are deemed high priority. • Community Planning Groups who have received seed funding at a previous plan review, but

have not completed these projects will not be eligible for further seed funding. • Organisations applying for recurrent funding. Seed funding may be available for different

stages of the same project. E.g. two stage upgrade to a community facility. How will your project be assessed? Your project will be assessed according to the following criteria: 1. The project is in the community plan. 2. Community coordinators can clearly demonstrate that wider community consultation has occurred and demonstrates the project should be funded. Consultation methods may be determined by community coordinators. Notification template see Appendix 1 What are the conditions of Community Planning Seed Funding?

• Seed funding is allocated specifically for the project funded and cannot be used for any other purpose without prior formal written agreement from Council.

• The auspice of a project is required to meet relevant government legislative requirements (e.g. Occupational Health & Safety Issues, Equal Opportunity, Workcover, planning and building permits as needed).

• Community Planning Groups are required to ensure volunteers are adequately covered by insurance.

• A brief evaluation must be submitted to Council one month after completion of the project. How will you be notified about the results of the funding program? All applicants will receive an acknowledgement of receipt of their application within 5 working days of its receipt. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application within 28 days. Golden Plains Shire will pay the seed funding to an auspice body bank account after approval of seed funding is complete. A Community Planning Group can access multiple instalments of the seed funding to meet the community plan’s priorities over 24 months to a maximum of $5,000.

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Community Planning Seed Funding

Application Form

1. Name of Community Planning Group:

Contact Person for this application Name:

Postal Address:

Daytime Phone Number:

Email:

2. Auspice organization: 3. Name of the Project: 4. Priority(s) in Community Plan 5. How did you notify your community which priority(ies) selected for seed funding

� Newsletter (template included app. 1) � Meeting � Survey

Other (Please indicate)

Any objections to funding this priority:

How were these dealt with:

Total Project Cost $ Funding requested for the Project $

Please return this application to: Damian Waight Golden Plains Shire PO BOX 111 BANNOCKBURN 3331 Email: [email protected]

Office Use Date Received: Notes:

Golden Plains Shire Privacy Statement The Golden Plains Shire considers that the responsible handling of personal information is a key aspect of democratic governance,

and is strongly committed to protecting an individual’s right to privacy.

Council will comply with the Information Privacy Principles as set out in the Information Privacy Act, 2000.

Council has in place a standard operating procedure that sets out the requirements for the management and handling of personal

information.

If you have any queries regarding this Privacy Statement, please contact the Privacy Officer on 03 5220 7111.

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Appendix 1

Community Notification Template The (Insert township) Community Plan was reviewed on (Insert date). Those present determined a number of priorities for our community. Community coordinators were appointed to oversee the implementation of the community plan with support from community members and Golden Plains Shire. Golden Plains Shire has made seed funding available, up to $5,000 to be spent on achieving priorities in the community plan. The community planning group proposes this seed funding be allocated to fund the priority (Insert priority brief description). Any concerns or suggestions regarding this proposal may be directed to: (Insert contact details)

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Community Planning Seed Funding

TAX INVOICE TO: Golden Plains Shire Council PO BOX 111 BANNOCKBURN VIC 3331 FROM: ABN: ___________________________ This organisation is registered for GST: Yes No 2014 Community Planning Seed Funding –

Plus GST (if applicable)

Total Amount to be paid

Project: Bank Details Account Name ________________________________________________________ BSB _________________Account Number______________________ On behalf of Organisation Name _________________________ Title __________________________ Signed ________________________ Date __________________________ Phone Number __________________ Mobile_________________________ Contact Email Address: ________________________________________________

Golden Plains Shire Privacy Statement The Golden Plains Shire considers that the responsible handling of personal information is a key aspect of democratic governance, and is strongly committed to protecting an individual’s right to privacy. Council will comply with the Information Privacy Principles as set out in the Information Privacy Act, 2000. Council has in place a standard operating procedure that sets out the requirements for the management and handling of personal information. If you have any queries regarding this Privacy Statement, please contact the Privacy Officer on 5220 7111.

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Photo Contact Area of Responsibility B/H Phone Mobile Email Community Services

Louisa White Manager Community Development

Community Development Recreation, Youth, Art, Community Planning

5220 7145 0439 365 362 [email protected]

Dean Veenstra Team Leader Recreation

Recreation Planning Recreation Projects

5220 7190 0437 243 181 [email protected]

Michael Hynes Community Recreation Officer (North)

Committees of Management Community Grants General Recreation Enquiries

5220 7182 0429 387 594 [email protected]

Paul Owen Community Recreation Officer (South)

Committees of Management Volunteer Training General Recreation Enquiries

5220 7220 0429 189 741 [email protected]

Rebecca Hickey Team Leader Health & Wellbeing

Health & Wellbeing Gem of an Idea Grants

5220 7189 0447 884 012

[email protected]

Matthew Dawson Team Leader Child & Family Services

Maternal & Child Health Kindergartens Child Care

5220 7175 0428 311 926 [email protected]

April Archbold Team Leader Aged and disability Services

Aged and Disability Services Home and Community Care 5220 7160 0427 516 497 [email protected]

Damian Waight Team Leader Community Development

Community Coordinators Community Development 5220 7159 0427 935 190 [email protected]

Tom Mullane-Grant Youth Development Coordinator

Youth Programs & Services 5220 7106 0429 350 379 [email protected]

Sarah Dalton Youth Activities Officer Youth Activities & Events 5220 7177 0407 847 138 [email protected]

Shannon Fielder Arts & Cultural Officer

Arts Projects Arts Promotion 5220 7212 0418 469 088 [email protected]

Alice Fraser Events & Information Officer

Event Planning Event Applications & Permits 5220 7245 0408 719 215 [email protected]

Form 1: Council Contact Details This list should give you a guide on who to contact for information on your local community issues. Council officers will assist you the best they can and suggest other officers/organisations/government departments if they cannot give you the information you require.

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Golden Plains’ officers spend time away from their desks and sometimes they are not available to speak to you when you ring. Please leave a message on their message bank or email them your queries. Officers will get back to you as soon as possible.

Photo Contact Area of Responsibility B/H Phone Mobile Email Department - Works

Peter Cameron Works Manager

Major Projects 5220 7122 0408 520 648 [email protected]

David Miocic Team Leader Community Projects

Community Projects 5220 7168 0458 844 236 [email protected]

Paul Ryan Community Projects Officer

Oval Maintenance/Mowing Tennis Courts Community Projects

5220 7138 0407 502 267 [email protected]

Works Project Officer

Playgrounds & Public Toilets Community Projects General Maintenance

5220 7148 0407 364 996 @gplains.vic.gov.au

James Kingsbury Works Engineer – Community Projects

Asset/Building Maintenance Community Projects General Maintenance

5220 7157 0458 842 405 [email protected]

Bill Grigg Superintendent of Works

Maintenances, Town Mowing Tree Removal 5220 7146 0408 508 635 [email protected]

Advertising

Ed James Publications & Advertising Officer

Gazette Articles 5220 7247 [email protected]

Planning

Laura Wilks Team Leader Planning

Land Use Planning Regional Planning Issues 5220 7149 0408 452 687 [email protected]

Building

Colleen O’Loghlen Admin Officer Building Permits 5220 7141 N/A [email protected]

Natural Resources

Bram Muller Natural Resources Officer

Revegetation Weeds & Pest Animals Land Use impacts

5220 7126 0477 170 001 [email protected]

Environmental Health

Michelle Newman Senior Environmental Health Officer

Environmental Health & Waste Food Safety 5220 7234 0400 942 110 [email protected]

golden plains shire community planning program manual · community coordinators are valued members...

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