Shire launches new 10-year Strategic Community Plan

The Shire of Augusta Margaret River has proudly launched its new Strategic Community Plan 2025-35 which sets down the aspirations we’ve heard from our community and demonstrates a commitment to working towards these.

The Strategic Community Plan (SCP) sets the Shire’s direction for the next decade to achieve our community’s vision for the future – One community, standing together with nature.

Drawing on years of conversations with over 3,200 residents and the collaboration of 240 locals who contributed through SCP workshops, surveys and submissions, the plan reflects the hopes, values and aspirations of the people who live, work and care for this remarkable part of the world.

Shire President Julia Jean-Rice said that Council was proud to endorse the plan, which was formally adopted at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 23 July.

“The SCP is one of the most important guiding documents in the Shire – it shapes the four-year Corporate Business Plan, annual budgets and influences Council decision-making,” she said.

“This plan reflects the community conversations, deep listening and collective visioning from people who have attended community workshops, engaged in sector conversations, online consultation, written submissions, and project-specific engagement over many years.”

“A big thank you to our Community Reference Group and everyone who has taken the time to get involved and share their insights, lived experiences and ideas.”

CEO Andrea Selvey said that since the last SCP was adopted four years ago, the region had experienced significant change.

“We’ve heard from many in our community about the pressures of population growth on housing, the environment, local services and infrastructure, and the need for services to keep pace with the realities of our changing population,” she said. 

“Whether you’ve lived here your whole life or recently arrived, there is a shared belief among our community that this region is something worth protecting and investing in.”

“The SCP is built around three key community focus areas identified through your feedback and includes clear outcomes, measures of progress, examples of what success could look like, and how the Shire will lead, partner, regulate or advocate to get there,” said Ms Selvey.

The three key focus areas are:

• Caring for our natural environment: From preserving and restoring biodiversity to acting on climate change, we are committing to undertaking action and partnering with local groups to keep our environment healthy.
• Managing our built environment: We’re placing a strong focus on ensuring our built environment is functional, sustainable, accessible, safe and sympathetic to the surrounds, and promotes active lifestyles and community connection.
• Looking after our growing community: To meet the needs of a growing population, we’ll be working hard to support community wellbeing through advocating for better access to healthcare, childcare, aged care and education services, and partnering on community programs, events and cultural connection.

To make these key focus areas a reality by 2035, the Shire will play these four roles:

• We provide – important services like libraries, recreation centres, youth programs, ranger services and town planning
• We regulate – to make sure rules are followed for things like building, animal management and firebreaks
• We partner – with people and organisations to get things done through funding, training and providing resources
• We advocate – by speaking up for our community and pushing for support from other levels of government.

Guiding how we will work is a set of principles including a community-first mindset, effective communication, inclusive engagement, ethical leadership, bold thinking, financial responsibility, high performing staff, and continuous improvement.

We look forward to delivering this plan with and for you, and invite you to explore the plan, reflect on the goals we have set together and join us in making this vision a reality.

To read the plan, please visit: www.amrshire.wa.gov.au/SCP