Nillumbik Shire Council

1
Nillumbik Shire Council

• Nillumbik Community Planning Think Tank
• community consultation and
• capacity building in Municipal
• Public Health Planning

2
What is the CPTT?

• Nillumbiks Community Planning Think Tank local
  volunteers - membership varies over time
• Monthly meetings provide a forum for consultation
  and input into local planning processes
• Historical involvement in developing the current
  MPHP (peer action research program 2000)
  representation on the MPHP Advisory Committee

3
Project Aims

• Build on community participation strategies used
  during development of the MPHP
• Engage and support community members in
  consultation and action research
• Develop a sustainable model for on-going
  township-based community consultation in Nillumbik

4
Project Strategies

• Strengthen the Community Planning Think Tank
• Hold local Community Forums to seek different
  township perspectives
• Compile results and develop recommendations
• Follow-up consultations with local communities to
  check results

5
Community Forums

• Celebrated what makes each community special
• Featured local speakers, and themes based on the
  Four Environments for Health
• One held in each major township
• Hurstbridge
• Diamond Creek
• Eltham

6
Forum Findings

• Six common focus group questions provided
• Local area / township-specific data
• Example Question 1 What makes the town you
  live in and its surrounding areas special for
  you?
• Common Themes across the Shire

7
Question 1 Results

• Hurstbridge (rural)
• Sense of community, Rural village feel
• Diamond Creek (urban fringe)
• Facilities available, Opportunity for
  involvement
• Eltham (urban)
• Diversity and culture, History and heritage
• Common Themes
• Natural environment , Social connectedness,
  Friendliness and unique character of local area

8
2003 Forums Report

• Community Aspirations identified by local area
• Current and possible future actions identified
  both Council and community initiatives
• Links to existing Council plans and strategies
  identified
• Development of
• Local Area/Community Action Plans

9
Eg. Local Area Action Plan
10
Confirmation of Findings

• Forums Participants received the full 2003 Forums
  Report, plus their local area Action Plan with a
  simple questionnaire, to check the accuracy of
  Forum findings.
• Random mail-out to residents of proposed local
  actions and simple questionnaire total 650.
• Street surveys conducted in the 3 towns to
  confirm Community Aspirations - total 111.

11
Outcomes for the MPHP

• An additional Objective incorporated into MPHP
  Goal 1, Develop a more connected community to
  further emphasise building social capital.
• Local area actions incorporated into the current
  annual MPHP Action Plan (2004-2005).
• Information from the project to be used to inform
  the development of the Nillumbiks new MPHP in
  2005.

12
Unexpected Outcomes

• The Nillumbik Community Pulse Survey the model
  for community participation is adopted by Council
  for a shire-wide consultation
• Local Area Planning to provide the basis for the
  proposed Nillumbik Community Plan, focusing on
  the needs and aspirations of its separate
  townships / communities