General News
4 April, 2025
Plan to decide council’s vision
What should council prioritise? That’s the question Central Goldfields Shire Council hope to ask community members as they shape their plan for the next four years.
Council are seeking 20 community members from all walks of life to help shape council’s priorities as they draft a Council Plan.
The Council Plan aims to guide the decision making and resource allocation for the current council’s four year term.
The Community Panel will have 20 community members, all over the age of 18, but Central Goldfields Shire mayor Grace La Vella said no other qualifications are needed to make a contribution.
“I urge everyone who has a strong interest in the work of council over the next four years to put your hand up. It’s very important that we have a broad range of views from business people, families, younger people, our seniors, First Nations, those from our smaller towns, farmers — the whole spectrum would be ideal,” she said.
Members of the Council Plan Community Panel will attend three, three-hour, in-person workshops in Maryborough.
These will take place on:
Tuesday, May 6: 5.30 to 8.30 pm
Wednesday May 7: 5.30 to 8.30 pm
Thursday May 8: 5.30 to 8.30 pm
Considering people’s busy schedules and sometimes complex lives Cr La Vella said steps have been taken to make the workshops as accessible as possible.
“The three sessions in May are in the early evening, so panel members can come along after work. We’ll feed you of course, and if you’d like to be part of the panel but have any issues with transport or childcare, let us know and we can offer support so you can still join in,” she said.
Across various key documents and decisions council aim to be informed by the communities values. As locals wait to see what council’s next four years will look like The Maryborough District Advertiser asked locals what they hoped would be prioritised.
For Nathan Ward the answer came to mind quickly: rates, rubbish, and roads.
“It’s the foundations of council and what they should be doing, what they should be focusing on. The roads are terrible, the rates are too high, and rubbish well I feel we have the smallest bins [compared to] most other shires,” he said.
For himself the tip vouchers council provides are a Band-Aid solution.
“One good clean up and the vouchers are gone and then it costs too much. That’s why everyone is dumping it out in the bush. They should just focus on the three Rs, the basics,” he said.
Infrastructure was also on the mind of Riley Wardley and Leanne Bishop.
“Roads definitely need a bit of work,” Mr Wardley said.
Out for a walk, pushing a pram, Ms Bishop appreciated the hard work the open spaces team have put into Phillips Gardens but she found getting there a challenge.
“You’ll have somewhere you can go down off the road but then on the other side of the road there’s nothing to get back up again,” she said.
The draft Council Plan will be available for community feedback in July.