Community Services and Infrastructure Planning Policy

May 2024

Contents

1 POLICY PURPOSE 3

2 POLICY SCOPE 3

3 DEFINITIONS 4

4 STATEMENT OF POLICY PRINCIPLES 4

5 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS 5

6 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 6

7 POLICY OWNERSHIP 6

8 APPROVAL 7

9 RELATED POLICIES & LEGISLATION 7

Acknowledgements

Council respectfully acknowledges and recognises Wurundjeri and Bunurong peoples as the Traditional Custodians of this land and pays respect to their Elders past, present and future.

Council acknowledges the legal responsibility to comply with the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 and the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. The Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 is designed to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens. The Charter gives legal protection to 20 fundamental human rights under four key values that include freedom, respect, equality and dignity.

1 POLICY PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to provide rationale and justification as to how Council plans, provides and maintains Community Services infrastructure in ways that are both effective and equitable. This Policy will consider Council’s Asset Management Principles and align with the Long term Financial Plan and Capital Works Plan.

2 POLICY SCOPE

2.1 This policy covers

The aim of this Policy is to outline Council’s guiding principles and commitments that inform the planning and delivery of community services and infrastructure in response to identified and emerging community need both now and in the future.

The policy objectives for community service and infrastructure planning include:

1. Building and supporting an inclusive, healthy, creative, innovative and resilient community.

2. Creating and maintaining a network of community services and facilities that are designed and operated to meet the diverse needs of the communities of Brimbank.

3. Providing Council with a consistent and responsive approach to planning and delivery of community services and facilities.

4. Applying an evidence-based planning approach to understand universal needs and demands as well as addressing specific areas of disadvantage and inequity.

2.2 This policy applies to

The scope of this policy is services and infrastructure owned or managed by Council including:-

• Arts and Culture

• Life Stage Services (Maternal Child Health, Kindergarten, Playgroups, Long Day Care, Youth Services, Planned Activity Groups)

• Community Halls and Facilities

• Library Services

• Neighbourhood Houses

• Learning and Development Facilities (Other niche Community Gathering spaces) EG. Guides and Scout Halls, Men’s Sheds, Bicycle Education Centres, Housing of local heritage and historical artefacts, Cultural/ Support facilities, Community Gardens, Makers Spaces, Recording Studio’s)

2.3 This policy does not cover

• Non-built infrastructure (open space)

• Park infrastructure

• Leisure Centres,

• Sport and Recreation Facilities.

• Privately Owned and managed Facilities

• Public Art

3 DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of this policy, Council adopts the following definitions:

Term

Definition

Community Infrastructure

Refers to the facilities that accommodate services which:

• Support and contribute to meeting the needs and promoting the wellbeing of individuals, families, groups and communities through the life stages;

• Are physical assets, services, programs and activities that are Council owned or operated and are accessed by the community for community engagement social interaction, recreation, learning and development.

Community Services

Refers to the activities and programs that address an identified social or health need. Community services support individuals to actively participate in social and economic life and build more inclusive communities

4 STATEMENT OF POLICY PRINCIPLES

Council undertakes a range of roles and functions to support the needs and aspirations of the Brimbank community.

This policy is guided by the following principles which will underpin the planning and delivery of culturally safe, accessible, equitable, inclusive and responsive community services and infrastructure.

4.1 Prioritising Community

Active community engagement and consultation to ensure robust responsiveness of services and to address barriers of access and inequity. The principle embraces a commitment to inclusive decision-making, aiming to cultivate community leadership. It also seeks to revitalise existing infrastructure to reach and connect with marginalised cohorts.

4.2 Building Community resilience

Investing in adaptable and safe services and facilities, anticipating and mitigating future challenges through innovative design and service approaches, and ensuring that diverse community needs are met by responsive and flexible facilities and services.

4.3 Fostering Social Justice

Providing inclusive opportunities, promoting equality, and ensuring the equitable distribution of resources to address diverse needs of our community. This commitment prioritises an intersectional approach in planning community services and infrastructure to ensure equity, access, and opportunity across gender, disability, diversity, socio-economic status, and demographics. This principle will support affordable, accessible services and infrastructure to allow the community to benefit and thrive.

4.4 Striving for Sustainability

Maximising the efficiency by developing community infrastructure, that is integrated and flexible to meet multiple service needs and is financially and environmentally sustainable. Advocating and creating innovative partnerships, dynamic planning where decision making is guided by a solid evidence base and responsive to community need.

4.5 Fit for Purpose

Council commits to supporting, advocating and delivering quality services, through well designed and maintained Community Infrastructure. Council will seek opportunities to repurpose, rationalise and expand existing infrastructure to accommodate changing community needs.

5 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

This policy will guide the planning and delivery of community services and associated infrastructure through the following staged process:

5.1 - Stage 1 – Social Planning and research

Demographic data and other relevant information are provided to internal service managers to inform business and service planning, and reviews. Data collected supports the analysis of community needs and demand.

5.2 – Stage 2 – Service planning Review

This determines how a service will be delivered in response to identified needs, and what resources and facilities are required to sustain the service. This includes, Demand and Supply analysis, service benchmarking and Financial Planning

5.3 – Stage 3 – Asset Management

Audits of the physical condition of an asset, its remaining economic or useful life, and an assessment of a facility’s fit for purpose are conducted to inform Community Services and Infrastructure Planning.

5.5 – Stage 4 – Community Services Infrastructure Planning

A number of assessments will be conducted in relation to Audit of Supply and Provision of Standards to identify where Brimbank’s key areas of community need exist and priority infrastructure projects for community services is best placed.

5.5 – Stage 5 – Project Development

Identified Community Services and Infrastructure Plan recommendations inform the development of detailed business cases which fully scope projects for consideration of funding in the identified priority order.

5.6 – Stage 6 – Project Delivery

Approved business cases proceed through Council’s existing capital works planning and delivery processes.

5.7 – Stage 7 – Project Evaluation and Framework Review

Captures learnings from the delivery of projects and incorporate these in the design and delivery of future projects. A review of Council’s approach determines if intended benefits have been delivered and highlight opportunities to improve future planning approaches.

6 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

6.1 Director of Community Wellbeing

Director of Community Wellbeing is responsible for:

• Overseeing the implementation of this Policy and the related Community Services and Infrastructure Plan.

• Approval of any change of priority in rolling capital works program projects related to this Policy and the Community Services and Infrastructure Plan. Officers to provide Director with sound rationale should there be any proposed change.

6.2 Director Infrastructure and City Services

Director Infrastructure and City Services is responsible for:

• Overseeing Councils 10 Year Asset Plan which guides and demonstrates Council’s responsible and sustainable management of its public infrastructure assets and to communicate the strategies and funding required to help achieve our Council Plan objectives and Community Vision statement.

7 POLICY OWNERSHIP

Responsible Director: Director of Community Wellbeing

Responsible Officer: Manager Leisure and Community Facilities

Directorate: Community Wellbeing

Unit: Leisure and Community Facilities

8 APPROVAL

Approved by: Council

Date:

9 RELATED POLICIES & LEGISLATION

Council Plan 2021-2025, Community Vision 2040 and Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan

Brimbank Community Vision 2040

Brimbank Community Services and Infrastructure Plan (forthcoming)