Community invited to provide feedback on draft Council Plan 2025 - 29
Published on 13 May 2025
Hepburn Shire Council is inviting community feedback on a suite of draft strategic documents that will shape the future of the Shire, including the draft Council Plan 2025–29.
At a Special Council Meeting held last night, Councillors endorsed the release of the following draft documents for public consultation:
- Council Plan 2025–2029 (including the Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan)
- Annual Budget 2025–2026
- Financial Plan
- Revenue and Rating Plan
- Asset Plan
Mayor, Cr Don Henderson, said the draft Council Plan reflects extensive community engagement and a commitment to returning to the basics.
“Our Council Plan 2025–2029, including the Health and Wellbeing Plan, lays the foundation for a strong future. We’re focusing on core services like maintaining roads, improving parks, planning for our growing community, and delivering services that are truly centred around our residents’ needs,” said Cr Don Henderson.
The draft Council Plan is built around three domains or strategic objectives:
- Hepburn Life – creating a connected, inclusive and thriving community.
- Future Hepburn – protecting our unique towns and landscapes while supporting sustainable development and infrastructure.
- Hepburn Working Together – ensuring strong governance, a skilled workforce, and high-quality service delivery.
The Plan clearly outlines the outcomes Council aims to achieve throughout the term, focusing on tangible benefits for the community and the organisation.
Community input has been central to shaping the draft Council Plan. Feedback from initiatives such as the Financial Vision project, Future Hepburn, and the Hepburn Together survey, which received over 400 submissions, has directly informed the priorities. Council also received valuable insights from the Deliberative Engagement Panel, made up of residents from across the Shire.
“This Plan reflects what we’ve heard. It’s about going ‘Back to Basics’ and focusing on what really matters to residents and ensuring we can deliver, even during financially constrained times,” said Cr Don Henderson.
“Road maintenance, parks and open spaces and delivering on Future Hepburn are front and centre.”
The Essential Services Commission has approved a 7% rate cap variation. This will generate an additional $1.36 million in revenue, alongside $2.53 million in operational savings identified by Council, ensuring the plan is fully funded and ready for implementation.
Community members are encouraged to review the draft documents and share their feedback by Thursday, 5 June 2025. Visit Hepburn Together 2025 - 2029. Hard copy surveys will be available in our libraries and customer service hubs.