Tingwall partnered with Stonnington City Council to design and deliver an engagement program that met the requirements of the Local Government Act 2020. The engagement sought to inform several of Council’s key strategic documents, including a refresh of the Community Vision, the Council Plan, Stonnington Tomorrow, Financial Plan 2025-26 to 2034-35, and Asset Plan 2025–2034, Council Plan 2025-29.
The Stonnington People’s Panel were recruited to represent a diverse cross-section of people living, working, studying, or owning a business in Stonnington. Over four sessions, supported by webinars, the panel was asked to consider the Council’s dilemma: with limited financial resources, how could the Council meet the community’s expectations while also addressing the challenges of population growth, environmental sustainability, and climate change?
True to the ‘Collaborate’ promise, Council committed to using the panel’s advice to the maximum extent possible. To close the loop with the panel, Council prepared a summary report that clearly showed their response to the panel’s recommendations. This approach gave participants confidence that their contributions were taken seriously and provided the broader community with a transparent view of how decisions were made.
