Our Darebin

Published on 17 December 2024

People having a conversation doing a consultation 2

February 2025 Update: an updated Vision for Darebin

In July 2024, we launched Our Darebin - an important project that saw us working closely with community through two stages of consultation —broad and deliberative —to review our 20-year Community Vision, and help shape our 2025-29 Council Plan.

We’re thrilled to announce that our updated Community Vision has been adopted!

The Vision is built on four key pillars:

  1. Vibrant, Healthy and Connected
  2. Respectful and Inclusive
  3. Sustainable, Green and Liveable
  4. Collaborative, Transparent and Responsible

Darebin 2041 Community Vision

Darebin is an equitable, vibrant, healthy and connected community where all residents and businesses experience safety, fulfilment and prosperity.

Darebin respects and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and our diverse communities.

Darebin has responded effectively to the climate emergency by implementing a circular economy and creating a sustainable, green and liveable environment.

Darebin is renowned for its collaborative engagement, integrity, transparency and commitment to financial sustainability.

This Vision was influenced by feedback from over 3,500 residents and crafted by the Our Darebin Panel—a group of everyday residents representing Darebin’s diverse community. Their hard work culminated in a proposed Vision that was unanimously endorsed by Councillors last night.

With the adoption of the Darebin 2041 Community Vision Council is now focused on the development of the Council Plan 2025-29 which will outline our strategic priorities over the next four years. 

You can read more about the Our Darebin project below.

December 2024 Update

Earlier this year, Darebin Council launched ‘Our Darebin’, a project to review our Community Vision, and develop our Council Plan (including our Health and Wellbeing Plan), and other important forward-looking documents.

Like many in the community, Council is facing financial challenges. We need to focus our efforts on what matters most to Darebin residents.

For seven weeks, starting in July we engaged with the Darebin community through nine face-to face pop-ups, an online survey, and 80 targeted engagement activities. In total, we engaged with almost 3500 people about what was most important to them. Thank you to everyone who took part.

A cornerstone of Our Darebin was the deliberative engagement which took place from 13 November to 7 December. The Our Darebin panel, a group of around 40 residents randomly selected to reflect the diversity of the Darebin community, came together over four days to deliberate and provide input on key strategic plans. The panel’s recommendations will be central to shaping Darebin’s future direction, helping steer our city towards a financially sustainable future.

We have also been working collaboratively with Darebin’s diverse communities to ensure all voices are heard and respected, embedding perspectives and priorities into the Community Vision and Council Plan to help build a more inclusive and meaningful future.

Zeo, a panel member from Reservoir, described his deliberative engagement experience as rewarding, saying, “Participating in the Our Darebin panel was a great experience. I’ve been a resident of Reservoir for more than 10 years, and the panel was a great way to give back to the community and contribute to conversations that will shape Darebin’s future”. He added, “Safety is a key priority, and being able to live and work safely in our city is important to me”.

In 2025, the community will have an opportunity to review the draft Council Plan (including our Health and Wellbeing Plan), Financial Plan and Asset Plan and provide feedback before they are adopted by Council. Our Darebin is Council’s commitment to inclusive decision-making and community collaboration.

Together, let’s ensure our Vision and Plan represent Our Darebin.

July 2024 Update

In 2021, we joined forces with our community to develop Darebin’s 20-year Community Vision, Council Plan 2021-25 (incorporating our Health and Wellbeing Plan), and other important forward-looking strategies.

In 2024, we’re reviewing the Vision to ensure it continues to reflect your priorities for Darebin. We want you to tell us if it still feels right or if we need to shift our focus. 

Darebin 2041 Community Vision

  • Darebin is an equitable, vibrant and connected community.
  • Darebin respects and supports First Nations People, values country, our diverse communities and places.
  • Darebin commits to mitigating the climate emergency, creating prosperity for current and future generations.

We're also creating our next four-year Council Plan - our promise to the Darebin community. With a strong emphasis on health and wellbeing, this plan will be shaped by your priorities, needs, and values, and will guide our long-term financial planning.

Your input will be crucial in helping us decide where to focus resources and efforts to best support our community.

Economic pressures impacting Council's financial sustainability mean we must ensure we deliver the projects and priorities that matter most to our community, while managing our budget responsibly.

There are lots of ways to get involved have your say about our Vision and Plan until 1 September 2024:

  1. Visit yoursay.darebin.vic.gov.au/ourdarebin and complete the survey in your language
  2. Pick up a paper survey form from any of our Customer Service Locations
  3. Email us at ourdarebin@darebin.vic.gov.au or call 8470 8888
  4. Visit us at a pop-up session in your neighbourhood:

Our Vision. Our Plan. Our Darebin.

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