Shaping Manningham's future

In September 2024, we took a crucial step towards building a prosperous future for Manningham, guided by local voices and values.

The Manningham Community Panel was formed and tasked with delving into complex challenges to help determine key priorities for our community.

Following a series of collaborative deliberation sessions, the Panel delivered its recommendations to Council in early February. The final report included 14 recommendations and one minority report. They span several themes including community safety, transport, open spaces and more.

We’ve now carefully considered each recommendation and prepared a detailed response – outlining how we plan to approach and implement them. We’re committed to implementing the Panel’s recommendations to the fullest extent possible.

This process will also play a crucial role in helping guide our strategic planning. This includes our four-year Council Plan, 10-year Asset and Financial Plans and our Community Vision 2040.

Thank you to each of our Panel members for your dedication, time and contributions, and to all community members who contributed to our earlier consultations. We’ll consider your insights in all our decision-making as we plan ahead for Manningham.

Manningham Council's response to the Community Panel recommendations

At its March meeting, Council will consider the Community Vision, as prepared by the Manningham Community Panel, as well as the Council’s response to the Panel’s 14 recommendations and minority report.

You can attend the Tuesday 25 March Council Meeting in person, or follow the live stream on our website.

The Manningham Community Panel has reached a significant milestone, charting a course for the future after delivering its final recommendations to Council.

Manningham Mayor Councillor Deirdre Diamante said the Panel’s insights will be invaluable in ensuring that the Council’s strategic plans are grounded in the community's needs and aspirations.

“By listening to the voices of our community, we’re ensuring that our decisions and actions reflect and align with what matters most to our residents,” Cr Diamante said.

“The Panel has played a crucial role in this process, comprising members from diverse age groups, cultural backgrounds and geographic locations that represent the unique tapestry of our community.

“This collaborative approach will help enable us to create a more inclusive, resilient, sustainable and vibrant community for all.”

The Panel was established to identify Manningham's key priorities, challenges and opportunities – to help guide our strategic plans. This includes the Community Vision 2040, the four-year Council Plan, and the 10-year Asset and Financial Plans.

Throughout the process, Panel members deliberated for approximately 1,680 collective hours and heard from over 50 speakers from Council and community.

They handed over their recommendations at the final meeting on 1 February 2025. They span several themes including community safety, transport, open spaces and more.

“Over the coming weeks, we’ll prepare a response to each of the panel’s recommendations, including how they will be implemented or the reasons for not supporting any recommendation,” Cr Diamante said.

“We’re sincerely grateful to the panel members for their time and efforts during this dynamic process and committed to implementing the panel’s recommendations to the fullest extent possible. We’ll ensure their insights are carefully considered in all our decision-making as we plan ahead for Manningham,” the Mayor added.

Our community panel came together for the first time on Saturday for the first of six and half day’s deliberation.

The Panel recruitment started with 8000 envelopes sent randomly to local households. Of those who accepted the invitation, a second random draw resulted in the final 40 people chosen. This second draw was ‘stratified,’ set up, so people chosen were representative of Manningham by age, gender, location, living situation and the language spoken at home.

This will be our most significant deliberative engagement to date, with the panel set to play a crucial role in shaping our major strategic plans.

Here’s some feedback from two panel members after day one:

“I was surprised when I got the invite but said to myself, I have grandchildren and what better way to leave a legacy for them but to have a say into shaping Manningham.”

“I am from an accounting background so especially interested to look at Council’s financial documents and exploring that side of the process.”

You can also participate in the deliberative process by registering to be an observer. Observing the process means that you can form your own assessment of the merits of the deliberative approach.

Manningham Community Panel 2024

Even if you are not selected to be on the Community Panel, you can participate in this deliberative process as an Observer. Observing the process means that you can form your own assessment of the merits of the deliberative approach.

Observers can listen and watch the proceedings. However, Observers are asked not to interact with the Panel members — Observers can place comments or questions on the 'Observer Board'.

You can register to be an Observer for any of the Panel sessions. Each registration segment is 90 minutes with a maximum of 12 Observers allowed at any one time. Registration will ensure you get a spot. However, you can also register upon arrival.

Observers are welcome during the open sessions and a code of conduct will be made available upon arrival.

Register now.

You’re invited to share your ideas and priorities for our community’s future by making an ‘Individual submission’ to the Manningham Community Panel.

Make an individual submission.

Your input will be considered by the Panel as they deliberate and prepare recommendations for Council’s major strategic plans.

What will the panel deliberate on?

Council endorsed the following remit for the Manningham Community Panel at its 25 June 2024 meeting.

Council has a budget of $147m, but we can’t do everything and need to make hard choices. We need to know what services you value most to help us create a new Council Plan, Asset Plan and Financial Plan to guide Council activity for the next four years to align with the Community Vision. It will inform what the community pays and gets in return.

What range and level of services are you prepared to pay for?

Submit your ideas about what the panel should consider as they work together to answer this question.

This consultation closes Thursday 19 September at 11.59pm.

Community will also be welcome to observe the deliberative process at several open Panel sessions – more information will be available on the Your Say Manningham page shortly.

To stay informed about the project and upcoming engagement opportunities, please visit Your Say Manningham and register for project updates.

From this week, 8,000 randomly selected households across Manningham will receive an invitation to express their interest in participating in the Manningham Community Panel.

From those who apply, independent non-profit research group, newDemocracy, will draw a panel of 40 people to represent the wider community.

How will it work?

The Manningham Community Panel will play a crucial role in developing our major strategic plans.

Through externally facilitated discussions and learning sessions, participants will help determine key priorities for Manningham and provide a list of recommendations to:

• inform the next Council Plan, Asset Plan and Financial Plan
• help us refresh of our community vision
• define and help us manage the community's top service priorities
• help guide how we manage our services financially
• guide how we manage and invest in physical assets.

Panel sessions will be held between September 2024 and February 2025.

Are there other ways to participate in this engagement if I’m not selected for the panel?

There will be further opportunities to make individual submissions for the panel’s consideration, as well as observe the deliberation sessions.

More information will be available on our Your Say Manningham page soon.

In October this year, the Manningham community will vote in a new Manningham Council. One of the Council's first tasks is to develop a four year Council Plan, ten year Asset Plan and ten year Financial Plan in pursuit of our Community Vision 2040.

A Community Panel will make recommendations to Council on what to include in the Plans. Information from the Community Survey, Targeted Conversations, our partners, state and federal government policy and the Manningham community (e.g. transport needs and health) is also considered.

Community Vision 2040

Manningham is a peaceful, inclusive and safe community. We celebrate life with its diverse culture, wildlife and natural environment. We are resilient and value sustainable and healthy living, a sense of belonging, and respect for one another. Find out more.

Council Plan

The Council Plan guides decision making over the next four years. Our new Council Plan will include the Health and Wellbeing Plan. Find out more.

Asset Plan

The Asset Plan includes how we will manage assets on behalf of the Community. Find out more.

Financial Plan

The Financial Plan includes how we will pay for services, assets and activities over the next ten years. Find out more.

The Community Vision 2040 was developed for the community, by the community.

Developed at the beginning of our Council's four year term in 2021, the community discussed priorities of today, as well as those raised by the community in the Generation 2030 Community Plan in 2012.

If you are not selected to participate in the Community Panel, you can have your say in other ways:

Complete the Plan Manningham 2025+ survey (This consultation is now closed)

Share your top three priority areas for Council to focus its resources on for the next four years.

Your feedback will help the Community Panel understand the broader community's priorities and what matters to Manningham's residents.

Survey closed Friday 12 July, 2024.

Join one of our targeted conversations

What are Targeted Conversations?

They are small group discussions (2h – 20 participants) where we bring together people with similar backgrounds or interests to discuss detailed information around topics that affect their needs and priorities. The discussions will focus on challenges and priorities for these groups.

Why Participate?

The insights from these conversations will directly inform the work of the Community Panel. We will include the summary reports of the targeted conversations into the background information document given to the Community Panel before the deliberation begins.

We will limit the number of participants to 20 and will use demographic filters to ensure that the groups are diverse and represent Manningham's diversity.

Apply by filling in the Targeted Conversations survey. Applications close Tuesday 9 July 2024 at 5.00 pm.