Strategic documents released for public feedback
Published on 24 July 2025
The Colac Otway community are invited to have their say on strategic documents that will shape the work of Council in coming years.
At the July Council meeting, the following items were endorsed for exhibition and are now open for community feedback:
- Draft Council Plan 2025-2029 (incorporating the Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan)
- Draft Financial Plan
- Draft Asset Plan
The Council Plan outlines Council’s vision for the next four years, focusing on encouraging economic growth, supporting community wellbeing and enhancing local infrastructure and the natural environment. It also incorporates Council’s Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan.
The overarching vision of the plan is: “Colac Otway is a thriving regional hub where residents prosper, businesses find opportunity and visitors stay longer.”
The Draft Council Plan 2025-2029, the Financial Plan 2025-26 to 2034-35 and the Draft Asset Plan 2025-2035 are on public exhibition for six weeks.
The Draft Asset and Financial Plans give residents and ratepayers the opportunity to comment on how Council manages its assets and finances over the coming decade.
The Financial Plan is a strategic document that sets out how Council manages its financial resources over the short, medium and long term. It outlines how Council intends to fund its work, deliver essential services, and invest in infrastructure while maintaining financial sustainability.
The Asset Plan lays out how Council will maintain its infrastructure and other assets over the coming decade, including buildings, recreation facilities and parks. The Plan is essential to ensure shire facilities remain safe and accessible and respond to the community’s needs.
These plans were developed after an extensive community consultation process that was conducted over the period February 2025 to April 2025. The process included focus groups, drop-in sessions, online surveys and a community panel of 23 members that represented a broad cross section of the Colac Otway shire community.
Council must adopt these plans by 31 October 2025.
Community members can view all policies and plans currently on exhibition on Council’s website or in-person at Council’s Customer Service Centre. Submissions close at 5pm Wednesday 3 September 2025.
People who make written submissions can also register to make verbal presentations to Council at a future Submissions Committee meeting.