Consultation - What, Why and How?

Bayside Council is committed to engaging the community in the development and evaluation of services.  It aims to inform and involve the community in its decision making process.

Community consultation on the draft Regional Soccer Strategy

See the draft Regional Soccer Strategy and appendices.

Background

The Regional Soccer Strategy is being delivered in partnership with the City of Kingston, Sport and Recreation Victoria and Football Federation Victoria. Funding was secured from state government and the FFV to assist the councils with this work.

The Strategy is being developed by both councils to respond to the significant growth in participation across the region of 43% between 2004 and 2007, and provide for the sustainable delivery of soccer. The Strategy will assist both councils achieve an appropriate balance of passive, active recreation and conservation outcomes with recommendations optimising use of open space to meet soccer and wider community needs.

The draft Regional Soccer Strategy

The draft Regional Soccer Strategy recommends future provision of sportsgrounds to support soccer across the Bayside and Kingston municipalities. Future facility provision and soccer club allocation will be guided by club viability, equitable access to open space, facility improvements and sportsground sustainability. The draft Strategy also recommends further investigation of the proposed regional elite level facility in the Kingston municipality, and feasibility studies on synthetic surface soccer grounds at identified sites.

Bayside City Council is preparing the draft Sportsground Usage Strategy concurrently. This strategy will address the future needs of all seasonal sports with recommendations from the draft Regional Soccer Strategy being considered in the context of this broader planning work.

Draft Regional Soccer Strategy recommendations will impact on some current / traditional seasonal allocations in Bayside, particularly where there are low levels of sportsground utilisation or use of unsustainable sites for sport. Some recommendations could influence improvements at, and community use of facilities on Department of Education and Early Childhood Development land, and / or school access to Council owned or managed facilities for soccer in the future. Council officers will meet with those affected.

There are no established timelines for implementation, as the Regional Soccer Strategy is in draft. Feedback will assist the preparation of a prioritised implementation plan.

Community Consultation

Soccer clubs have been actively involved in the development of the draft. Schools, indoor facilities operators, local soccer leagues and associations, peak sporting bodies, interested seasonal sporting clubs and residents were engaged following the release of the Issues Discussion Paper in March 2008. This paper provided an overview of the soccer related issues across the region and posed a series of questions and proposals for further consideration. Feedback informed the draft Strategy.

Both councils seek feedback from soccer clubs, other seasonal sporting clubs, peak sporting bodies, schools (state and private), state government, neighbouring councils, residents surrounding reserves where year-round soccer use is recommended, and the wider community. Feedback will inform the final strategy to be presented for Kingston and Bayside councils’ consideration later in 2008.

If you would like to submit a response or comment on the draft Regional Soccer Strategy, please do so via one of the following methods to Naomi Paton.

In writing: PO Box 27, SANDRINGHAM VIC 3191
Email:  sport@bayside.vic.gov.au
Phone:  9599 4367
Fax:  9598 4474

Submissions close 5pm Monday 11 August 2008.

For further information on the preparation of the draft Strategy please contact Bayside City Council’s Leisure and Recreation Department on 9599 4316.

Bay Trail upgrade (Brighton)

There are plans to move the bike path away from the busy North Point café and North Road. The plan is to align the bike path to be adjacent to the pedestrian path between the Bay and the playground. Council is also planning to upgrading the Bay Trail from Bay Street to Sandown Street and North Road to Head Street. You can provide your views on the proposed work by completing an online survey or by downloading, printing and returning a completed hard copy version of the survey.