New plan adopted

By Jade Lawton
CASEY Council has adopted its 2009-2013 Council Plan, with only one public submission made during the draft process.
The plan outlines how the City of Casey will work towards achieving council’s vision for the future during the 2009-2013 term.
Seven key directions will guide council, including strengthening communities, protecting the natural environment, planning for the future while preserving local heritage, building and maintaining infrastructure and growing the local economy.
Advocating for Casey and Achieving Excellence in Governance at Casey are two new directions to be included.
Mr John Miller submitted that most of the items in the document were motherhood statements with which no one would disagree.
“For example, to strive for excellence in service delivery, to support new community groups and continue to assist established groups, to preserve our indigenous flora or fauna, to minimise and manage waste etc are aspirations which everyone would support. No one would want the council to strive for mediocrity in service delivery, or to maximise and fail to manage waste,” Mr Miller wrote.
Mr Miller said he supported every aspect in the plan but urged council to adopt two more aspirations.
“Do something for the exhibiting arts. Casey does a lot of sports, a certain amount for performing arts, and makes no progress at all for the exhibiting arts, apart from sponsoring events. There is no adequate exhibiting gallery in Casey; the signs of energy on this front from about four or five mayoralties ago have evaporated. Two of your councillors think that the Berwick Agricultural Show is an arts event,” he said.
Under strategies to strengthen Casey’s communities, council has committed to enhance arts and leisure opportunities. Mr Miller’s comments were forwarded to council officers for attention, but no changes were made to the plan.
Progress on the plan will be reported to council on a quarterly basis, as well as in council’s annual report.