The Hume Community Panel helped shape the Council Plan 2025–2029 by updating the Community Vision and advising on the priorities that matter most to the community. Their recommendations guided Council to balance community aspirations with financial sustainability and to ensure resources were managed responsibly.
Over the panel break from mid-November to mid-January, the panel was asked to engage with three members of their community and seek their feedback on the draft Community Vision. This meant the panel were able to hear from those people who were not in the room and used the feedback to further refine the vision. By giving participants a real voice, the process strengthened participants’ sense of community and increased their trust in Council’s commitment to community involvement in decision-making.
Alongside the panel’s input, Tingwall facilitated workshops with councillors, senior leaders and subject experts, which strengthened the link between community advice and organisational priorities. A key aim of this project was to re-establish a clear direction and strong buy-in across the Council for the delivery of the Council Plan. The resulting four-year Council Plan is a roadmap that reflects the community’s voice and unites the organisation around common goals. The Hume case demonstrates that community engagement can guide strategies that are both responsive to residents and realistic in terms of resources.
