What is M2021?

Maitland 2021

Maitland City Council is committed to leading the development and implementation of a long term plan for the city, a plan that articulates what Maitland will look like in the year 2021 and beyond. The plan is not simply a long term plan for Council. It’s about a new vision for our city, building on our past to make a vibrant future. The goal is to reach community agreement on Ideas for the future, and then identify who might be responsible for helping to make this happen through Action. It may be Maitland City Council, State and Federal Governments or it might be the community itself that needs to take steps to see the plans realised. Simply, it is a plan by our community, for our community.

Council has undertaken an active process of community engagement to uncover the greatest challenges and biggest opportunities we face. The focus has been on the ‘quadruple bottom line’ or sustainability themes of: Our community and lifestyle; Our natural and built environment; Our local economy; and Our civic leadership.

Within each of these themes, a number of outcomes have been posed for 2021, being ‘What our community would like’, along with objectives or strategies to help reach the goal – ‘How will we get there?’. Those that can help are also suggested, along with how we might know if we are on track.

A plan founded in consultation and past knowledge and experience

Over recent years, Maitland City Council has embarked on a range of consultations about issues facing our community, as well as Council’s own projects and service delivery. ‘Maitland 2021’ has given us the opportunity to consolidate and integrate issues and solutions to take us to a future vision the community has established and collectively owns. We are making a shift away from traditional approaches to local government planning, with Maitland City Council taking on the role as the steward of a ten year community-based plan.

What are the impacts of the plan on Maitland City Council’s own services?

All NSW local Councils are developing community strategic plans, following the introduction of the new Integrated Planning and Reporting legislation by the NSW Government in 2009. The goal is to improve the long term community, financial and asset planning of councils. Maitland City Council has committed to having a completed community strategic plan (aka ‘Maitland 2021’) ready for implementation on 1 July 2011.

Maitland City Council will develop a four year Delivery Program, along with an annual Operational Plan. These documents will be underpinned by long term financial plans, asset management strategy and workforce management plan. All of Maitland City Council’s functions will be linked back to the longer term goals identified by the community.

The delivery program and annual operational plan will also be actively discussed with the community, as these documents will steer Council’s operations from 1 July 2011.