The Council Plan 2025-2029 is a key strategic plan guiding Council's decision making and activity. It outlines the priorities of Council for the next 4 years in working towards the Community Vision 2045. The Plan is a legislative requirement under Section 90 of the Local Government Act 2020.

The Plan also helps Council track its performance, be accountable, and transparent by identifying how the progress of priorities will be measured and reported.

Developing the Plan

Shaped by the community, the process has been one of the most comprehensive community engagement projects Bass Coast has ever undertaken, spanning more than 15 months and involving thousands of people who live, work, visit, or have a connection to the region.

The Council Plan 2025–2029 is built around four strategic objectives:

• Naturally Beautiful – Together we build resilience and protect and enhance our natural environment.

• Thriving Places – Facilities and infrastructure meet current and future needs. Growth is sustainable and well planned. Our economy, agriculture, tourism and industries are resilient. Unique character is preserved.

• Vibrant Communities – Communities are healthy, inclusive, safe and socially connected. Communities celebrate opportunity, recreation, diversity, heritage and reconciliation.

• Visionary Leadership – Our communities flourish through leadership that is open and responsible, ensuring decisions serve the communities best interests, and comply with legislative obligations.

These pillars guide everything from road upgrades and community facilities to climate resilience programs, arts projects, and support for local businesses. The Annual Action Plan 2025–2026 translates these pillars into action. Highlights for the first year include:

• Delivering the Wonthaggi closed landfill capping project and Clean Energy retrofits for community facilities.

• Continuing the Cowes Streetscape Project to support local businesses and improve town amenity.

• Implementing the Healthy, Safe and Resilient Bass Coast Plan, including programs for young people and public art initiatives.

• Preparing the partnership framework for the former Wonthaggi School site to support sustainable development.

Community voices have been at the heart of this process. Over the past 15 months, Council engaged people through 'Towards a Better Bass Coast' . Engagement began in July 2024 with workshops, pop-ups, focus groups and surveys. A 45-member Community Panel, selected through a randomised process, then met across four workshops between November 2024 and May 2025 to deliberate on the challenges and provide recommendations. A final consultation period in August–September 2025 confirmed that the draft plans resonated with the community and led to refinements, including stronger support for agriculture.