Strategic Plan 2025–2028

Outcomes:

1. A welcoming, proud and generous community, where Kaurna Country is acknowledged, community connection is strong, and good health and wellbeing fostered.
2. A growing, younger and more diverse community with access to a greater mix of local employment, retail, health and education facilities, and affordable housing. Older community members are supported through compact living with ease of access to improved retail and services in townships.
3. Town vibrancy is fostered through events, volunteering, community initiative funds or service support. There are a variety of local movement options, including walking and cycling.

Outcomes:

1. Our region is a leading supplier of agribusiness produce to local, national and international markets. A growing value-added primary industry, and circular and renewables based economy, supported by a diverse range of businesses.
2. Growing businesses and local employment is based on proximity to markets and workers, research, suitable infrastructure, and capitalizing on opportunities arising from the Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme.
3. Our townships provide a growing range of services, facilities, activities and accommodation, and are welcoming, cared for and filled with character.
4. Curated experiences for tourists across Adelaide Plains, with increased awareness.

Outcomes:

1. Honouring our past through fostering understanding about Kaurna Country and conserving First and Second Nations heritage.
2. Rural landscapes are maintained. Our coast, rivers and native vegetation are conserved.
3. Our townships have good climate amenity for residential living.
4. The impacts of adverse natural events are mitigated. A plan is secured for Government investment in the Gawler River Catchment.
5. Improved resource recovery and waste management services contribute to the circular economy.

Outcomes:

1. A proactive Council founded on values of honesty and integrity, being innovative and open minded, leadership and diplomacy, professionalism, respect and teamwork.
2. Council Members share a vision founded on engagement, sustainable financial plans, leadership and good governance.
3. Proactive collaboration with existing and new partners, and pursuit of new funding opportunities, that creates value for the Adelaide Plains community and environment.
4. A strategic agenda with financial sustainability ratios that opens up opportunities to deliver our Strategic Plan.

Consultation to prepare this plan was undertaken in 2 stages over 2024.

Stage 1 consultation was informed by a review of the 2020–2024 Strategic Plan that identified what was achieved and what that may mean for services and infrastructure in 2025–2028. A Discussion Paper accompanied it. Activities included a briefing session for Council Members, workshops with stakeholders and employees, and call for community submissions. In May, Council considered submissions from stage 1 consultation. In June, Council received a briefing on progress, conducted an informal review and endorsed a draft plan for stage 2 consultation.

Stage 2 consultation was open from 26 August to 19 September 2024, with 25 submissions received. In October, Council considered community submissions. In November, Council’s Audit & Risk Committee reviewed this plan and provided feedback to Council. This plan was adopted on 25 November 2024.

Council Members involved at the time this plan was prepared and adopted:

• Mayor Mark Wasley
• Councillor Alana Bombardieri
• Councillor Kay Boon
• Councillor Carmine Di Troia
• Councillor Terry-Anne Keen
• Councillor Dante Mazzeo
• Councillor Margherita Panella
• Councillor David Paton
• Councillor Marcus Strudwicke
• Councillor Eddie Stubing

All reports considered by Council are available in the relevant meeting's agenda.

This plan, along with our asset management and long term financial plans, form our ‘strategic management plans’.

Councils are required to have strategic management plans stating their objectives for the area over the next 4 years, under the Local Government Act 1999. A strategic plan must identify the economic, social, physical and environmental aspects of the region, amongst other aspects outlined in section 122 of the Local Government Act.

Adelaide Plains' rural areas, coast and towns provide places where our growing number of residents and business look to thrive in. These places are changing. Preparing a strategic plan with our growing and changing community enables us to identify the priority actions that Council – in particular through annual business planning and asset management planning, as well as advocacy – should focus on.

Our strategic plan is the primary document that guides strategic decision making, sets a vision for the future and goals to achieve this, and how we will review and monitor. It is referred to when we are developing our annual business plans and asset management plans, in advocacy and in considering grant opportunities.

A strategic plan does not allocate funding. Our annual business plan and budgets allocate money to our services and facilities over a financial year. It takes into consideration our strategic plan and asset management plans.