Monthly Update from Hay Mayor, Carol Oataway

Community Strategic Plan 2025-2035

Hay Shire Council is in the planning stages of developing our Community Strategic Plan 2025-2035, a blueprint designed to guide our region's growth, development, and well-being over the next decade. This plan is the result of extensive consultation with our residents, ensuring that community voices shape our priorities and future direction.

A recent community survey highlighted what matters most to our residents. The results showed that a strong sense of belonging, the success of locally owned and operated businesses, the excellent condition of our public open spaces, and a feeling of personal and neighbourhood safety are the top priorities for our community. These values will be at the heart of our strategic planning.

To ensure we captured the views of all our residents, Councillors took the draft plan out to the communities of Maude, Booligal, and Hay. We also conducted dedicated consultation sessions with our youth, people living with disabilities and senior citizens. Their insights were invaluable, reinforcing the importance of inclusiveness and shared responsibility in shaping our Shire's future.

Based on this feedback, a draft Community Strategic Plan has now been formulated. In the coming months, we will once again take this draft out to the community during April and May. We encourage everyone to engage with this process, share their thoughts, and help refine the plan to ensure it reflects the hopes and aspirations of all who call Hay Shire home.

Your participation is crucial as we build a stronger, more connected community for the future. Keep an eye out for upcoming consultation sessions and have your say in shaping our Shire's next chapter. Together, we can ensure Hay Shire continues to thrive as a safe, vibrant, and welcoming place for all.