Boroondara Community Plan 2021–2031

Boroondara Community Plan 2021–2031 ewilliam

The 10-year Boroondara Community Plan 2021–2031 includes the Community Vision, 4-year Council Plan and 4-year Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan. The Plan sets the strategic direction for the City of Boroondara and shows how we will deliver our community’s aspirations. It also shows how we will protect, improve and promote our community’s health and wellbeing.

The online version of the Boroondara Community Plan 2021–2031 has been simplified and edited for web.

Thank you to everyone who completed our recent survey to help shape our Boroondara Community Plan for 2025-2035.

Read the full Boroondara Community Plan 2021–2031

How we renewed the Boroondara Community Plan

How we renewed the Boroondara Community Plan ewilliam

The Boroondara Community Plan 2021–31 (the Plan) builds on the first Boroondara Community Plan we developed with our community in 2017. We renewed the Plan to make sure it still reflected our community’s values, aspirations and priorities for the next 10 years. We started this process in 2020 by engaging with our community over 2 stages. This was the same consultation approach we used to develop our first plan. Using the same process helped us see any shifts in community priorities since 2017. It also showed us new trends and issues.

Stage 1 – Seeking ideas

In the first stage of consultation, we asked our community, ‘What’s important to you in Boroondara?’ Between December 2020 and January 2021, we received 4,723 responses.  
We used an open-ended question to make sure we heard about all the issues the community thought were important. 

We also asked the community to tell us: 

  • which priority themes from the original plan were most important to them 
  • what they thought we should focus on over the next 10 years. 

Stage 2 – Prioritise resources

In the second stage of consultation we ran 10 workshops, including:

  • 7 Boroondara Conversations workshops
  • a youth workshop 
  • a trader workshop 
  • a health and wellbeing workshop. 

In total, 149 residents participated in the Boroondara Conversations workshops. They learned about the things which affect Council’s decision-making. Then they weighed up short-term and long-term trade-offs and prioritised where they thought we should focus our resources over the next 10 years. In these sessions, participants also explored the community’s aspirations and reflected on the community vision statement. 

The other workshops made sure we heard from:

  • younger community members
  • local traders and business operators 
  • key health and wellbeing agencies and service providers.

Stage 3 – Identify health and wellbeing priorities

To work out the health priorities of the Plan, we looked at:

  • data about the health and wellbeing of the Boroondara community
  • the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2019–23. 

We heard from 347 community members through an online survey. They told us their concerns and how they thought we could support our community’s health and wellbeing.  

We were also guided by:

  • local health and wellbeing agency partners and stakeholders 
  • the Boroondara Public Health and Wellbeing Advisory Committee. 

Stage 4 – Develop the Plan

Through the consultation process, we heard what our community values most about Boroondara. We heard about their:

  • concerns
  • hopes 
  • aspirations for the future. 

We used this feedback to develop:

  • our community’s vision
  • our health priorities 
  • our Strategic Objectives
  • how we will achieve our Strategic Objectives
  • how we will measure our success. 
     

About our community

About our community ewilliam

Community snapshot

Who we are

  • 183,023 people live in Boroondara.  
  • 197,734 people are predicted to live in Boroondara by 2031, an increase of 8%. 
  • 324 residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
  • 6,406 residents need help in their day-to-day lives due to a disability.
  • 27% of residents speak a language other than English at home. The 3 most common languages spoken after English are Mandarin, Cantonese and Greek.
  • 145 different countries of origin with more than 120 languages spoken.
  • 31% of residents were born overseas.
  • 54% of residents identified as having one of 39 main religions, while 37% of residents did not identify as having any religion.
  • 47% of residents over 15 years have a Bachelor degree or higher.
  • 26% of residents volunteer.
  • 6% of the working age population are unemployed. In May 2021, a total of 2,704 residents were receiving JobSeeker and youth allowance benefits.  

Our economy

  • 27,210 registered businesses in Boroondara in 2020. 
  • 71,353 people employed in local jobs in Boroondara.
  • 53 shopping centres and strips are in Boroondara. 

How we live

  • 62,794 households live in Boroondara.
  • 75,880 households are expected to live in Boroondara by 2031.
  • 22,060 households are couples with children, which is the most common household type.
  • 18% of households have a weekly income of less than $740, the lowest income quartile for Victoria.
  • 43% of households have a weekly income of over $2,395, the highest income quartile for Victoria.
  • 757 households live in social and public housing.  
  • 55% of dwellings are separate houses.
  • 426 people identified as homeless.
  • $415 is the median weekly rent, which is higher than the median for Greater Melbourne ($355).
  • $2,412 is the median monthly mortgage repayment. The median for Greater Melbourne is $1,829.

Data sources

We sourced our community snapshot data from the: 

  • Census of Population and Housing, 2016
  • ABS, Estimated Resident Population, 2020
  • Id Consulting, City of Boroondara population forecast, 2020
  • Department of Social Services – JobSeeker and Youth Allowance recipients, 2021

Our health and wellbeing

General health, wellbeing and quality of life

  • 53% of residents report their health as excellent or very good compared to 42% of Victorians. 
  • 87 years is the median life expectancy of Boroondara residents, well above the Victorian average of 82. 
  • Cancer is the leading cause of premature death in Boroondara at an annual rate of 68 per 100,000 compared to 94 per 100,000 in Victoria.

Mental wellbeing and social connection

  • 85% of residents rate their feeling of life being worthwhile as high or very high.
  • 9% of residents report high to very high levels of psychological distress compared to 13% of Victorians. More women in Boroondara experience high levels of psychological distress compared to men (10% and 8% respectively). 
  • 69% of residents agree that people in their neighbourhood are willing to help each other compared to 74% of Victorians.
  • 52% of residents agree ‘this is a close knit neighbourhood’ compared to 59% of Victorians. 
  • 23% of households in Boroondara are lone person households, which increases the risk of loneliness and isolation. 

Climate change and its impacts on health

52% of Boroondara’s land cover is made up of hard surfaces. This includes roofs, driveways and roads, which contribute to the urban heat island effect. In Boroondara, the number of annual days where the temperature is over 35°C will increase. This will lead to a rise in the frequency and duration of heatwaves. 

Preventing all forms of violence

  • 69% of residents feel safe walking alone at night. 
  • 1,046 family violence incidents were reported in Boroondara in year ending March 2021, an increase of 16% since 2020. 

Reducing alcohol harm

67% of Boroondara adults are at an increased risk of harm from alcohol compared to 60% of Victorians. Women living in Boroondara have a significantly higher lifetime risk of alcohol-related harm compared to Victorian women (61% and 51% respectively).

Increasing healthy eating

5% of Boroondara residents eat enough vegetables compared to 4% of Victorians.

Increasing active living

58% of residents get enough physical activity compared to 51% of Victorians. Slightly more men than women in Boroondara met the guidelines for physical activity (59% and 57% respectively). 

Data sources

We sourced our health and wellbeing data from the: 

  • Victorian Population Health Survey, 2017
  • Public Health Information Development Unit, Social Health Atlas of Australia – Data by LGA, 2020
  • Public Health Information Development Unit, Social Health Atlas of Australia – Data by LGA, 2020
  • Statistical Data for Victorian Communities, Indicators of health, housing, community, education, employment, transport and safety in metropolitan municipalities, Victoria, 2016
  • ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2016
  • Greenspace Consultant, Boroondara Canopy Cover Assessment 2006 to 2016, 2017
  • CSIRO, Climate Change in Australia, 2019
  • VicHealth Indicators Survey, 2015
  • Crime Statistic Agency, 2021. 

Our priority themes

Our priority themes ewilliam

The Boroondara Community Plan 2021–31 (the Plan) outlines 7 themes our community told us were important in 2017. In 2020–21, our community told us these themes still represent what they want us to focus on over the next 10 years: 

  1. Community, services and facilities 
  2. Parks and green spaces
  3. The environment
  4. Neighbourhood character and heritage
  5. Moving around 
  6. Local economy
  7. Leadership and governance.

Each theme includes: 

  • What our community said – What the community said was most important to them.
  • Our Strategic Objective – What the community wants to achieve in the next 10 years.
  • How we will achieve our Strategic Objective – How we will achieve our strategic objectives over the next 4 years and what Council’s role will be. We note if the strategies require us to plan for changes, deliver changes, partner with other stakeholders or advocate on behalf of our community for change. 
  • How we will measure our success – What we will monitor and the information we will collect to show our progress in achieving the strategic objective.
  • Our services – How each of the services we provide to the community will support our strategic objectives.  
     
An infographic that show the Boroondara Community Plan priorities. These are Parks and Green Spaces, The Environment, Neighbourhood Characted and Heritage, Moving Around, Local Economy, and Community, Services and Facilities.

Theme 1: Community, services and facilities

Theme 1: Community, services and facilities ewilliam

What our community said 

We value safe and clean public places. We value facilities and events where people of all ages and backgrounds can interact, learn and be active. We value health and wellbeing services for all community members, especially those in need. These contribute to our sense of connection and the harmony we value across the whole community.

Our Strategic Objective 

Community services and facilities are high quality, sustainable, inclusive and strengthen resilience.

How we will achieve our Strategic Objective

Strategy 1.1. Neighbourhoods and community spaces facilitate social connections and belonging by providing, maintaining and activating places for people to meet, organise activities and celebrate events. 

Strategy 1.2. Health and wellbeing is improved through delivering, facilitating and advocating for services and programs that are accessible and affordable. 

Strategy 1.3. Arts and culture are showcased by increasing opportunities to participate in artistic and cultural programming.

Strategy 1.4. Facilities and sports precincts encourage equal access through social planning, delivery, asset maintenance and renewal activities.

Strategy 1.5. Life-long learning is supported by delivering and working with our community and partners to meet the broad range of interests within the community.

Strategy 1.6. Residents and visitors feel safe in public spaces through encouraging local activity and creating and maintaining civic areas. 

Strategy 1.7. Community resilience, safety and public health are improved by working in partnership with community and government organisations.

How we will measure our success

We will measure the:

  • audience satisfaction with Boroondara Arts programs and events
  • community satisfaction with our recreational facilities
  • number of community groups using council facilities directly under a lease or license agreement
  • food safety assessments (the percentage of registered class 1 food premises and class 2 food premises receiving an annual food safety assessment)
  • number of people taking part in active ageing programs and events
  • number of attendances by young people at youth programs or services
  • number of vaccinations given
  • number of arts and cultural community events we deliver or support 
  • number of community organisations funded through the Community Strengthening Grant Program
  • percentage of community strengthening grants provided to culturally and linguistically diverse groups and disability groups 
  • percentage of graffiti removed from Council owned assets within one business day of being notified
  • overall participation in library services, including loans, participation in programs and enquiries.

Our services

There are many services we provide to our community to support our Strategic Objective for Theme 1.

These include services in:

  • Arts and Culture
  • Asset Management
  • Capital Projects
  • Civic Services
  • Community Planning and Development 
  • Health and Wellbeing 
  • Infrastructure Maintenance
  • Library Services
  • Liveable Communities. 

Read a full list of the services we provide in each of these areas

Theme 2: Parks and green spaces

Theme 2: Parks and green spaces ewilliam

What our community said 

We are proud and protective of Boroondara’s beautiful parks and open spaces. Seating, playgrounds, toilets, shade and recreation facilities make our open spaces more enjoyable for all residents. We connect with each other in green and open spaces and value opportunities to exercise, relax and appreciate nature.

Our Strategic Objective

Green and open spaces are provided, well-utilised and enhanced.    

How we will achieve our Strategic Objective

Strategy 2.1. Parks and green spaces enable sport and recreation opportunities by maintaining and improving recreation spaces and equipment.

Strategy 2.2. Our sustainable urban forest is preserved and increased through managing and renewing our open space trees and understorey growth.

Strategy 2.3. Parks and green spaces are accessible and appealing through maintaining, improving and increasing amenities.

Strategy 2.4. Green spaces are maintained and increased through management practices and investigating opportunities to acquire or modify existing land. 

Strategy 2.5. Playgrounds are engaging and safe by improving shading and renewing and diversifying equipment. 

How we will measure our success

We will measure the:

  • community satisfaction with a range of parks in Boroondara and compare this with participating councils
  • satisfaction with appearance of public areas
  • number of trees on council-managed land.

Our services 

There are many services we provide to our community to support our Strategic Objective for Theme 2.

These include services in:  

  • Infrastructure Maintenance
  • Landscape and Design
  • Open Space.

Read a full list of the services we provide in each of these areas

Theme 3: The environment

Theme 3: The environment ewilliam

What our community said 

We value leadership in environmental sustainability and practices to prepare our community for the impacts of climate change. We believe in adopting new ways to recycle and manage waste as part of our commitment to the environment. We value the protection of our natural environment to make sure it’s healthy and resilient for future generations.

Our Strategic Objective

The environment is considered in all decision-making.

How we will achieve our Strategic Objective

Strategy 3.1. Community resilience and capacity to live sustainably is increased through advocacy, education and resources.

Strategy 3.2. The environmental impact of Council facilities and assets is further reduced through implementing sustainable practices. 

Strategy 3.3. Municipal and household waste is reduced through initiatives to prevent, reduce, reuse and recycle. 

Strategy 3.4. Trees and vegetation on private land are valued through promoting and encouraging our community to retain and enhance greenery.

Strategy 3.5. Our leafy streetscapes are maintained and improved through advocating for careful project planning by government regulatory and project authorities, supported by the increased planting of resilient species.

Strategy 3.6. Our biodiversity is conserved and maintained through improving the way we manage our diverse plants, animals and natural spaces.

How we will measure our success

We will measure the:

  • community satisfaction with environmental sustainability
  • community satisfaction with waste management
  • percentage reduction of community emissions compared with 2020 emissions
  • percentage reduction of Council CO2 emissions compared with 2007–08 emissions
  • volume of harvested water (rain and stormwater) re-used within Council buildings and open space irrigation
  • area of land actively managed for biodiversity
  • kerbside collection waste diverted from landfill (percentage of garbage, recyclables and green organics collected from kerbside bins that is diverted from landfill).

Our services 

There are many services we provide to our community to support our Strategic Objective for Theme 3.

These include services in:  

  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Open Space
  • Strategic and Statutory Planning
  • Waste and Recycling.

Read a full list of the services we provide in each of these areas

Theme 4: Neighbourhood character and heritage

Theme 4: Neighbourhood character and heritage ewilliam

What our community said 

We value our local heritage. We value Council’s advocacy to protect the distinct character of our neighbourhood streets and carefully regulate new development. Diversity in housing size and affordability is also important to us. We value these things because they contribute to Boroondara’s uniqueness and make it an attractive place to live, work and play.

Our Strategic Objective

Protect the heritage and respect the character of Boroondara, while facilitating appropriate, well-designed development.    

How we will achieve our Strategic Objective

Strategy 4.1. Boroondara’s heritage places are protected through ongoing implementation of heritage protection controls in the Boroondara Planning Scheme.

Strategy 4.2. The history of Boroondara’s heritage places is respected and celebrated through community education. 

Strategy 4.3. Development does not adversely impact heritage places through the application of controls and policies set out in the Boroondara Planning Scheme. 

Strategy 4.4. New development positively contributes to amenity and liveability through design excellence.

Strategy 4.5. Better development outcomes are achieved through advocacy to State Government and industry bodies for changes to planning controls and policies.

How we will measure our success

We will measure the:

  • number of heritage planning scheme amendments considered by Council
  • average number of days to process a planning application
  • percentage of Council planning decisions supported and decisions successfully mediated at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal 
  • percentage of ‘demolition consents’ under section 29A of the Building Act by Building Services checked within 15 business days. 

Our services 

There are many services we provide to our community to support our Strategic Objective for Theme 4.

These include services in:  

  • Asset Protection
  • Building Services
  • Strategic and Statutory Planning.

Read a full list of the services we provide in each of these areas

Theme 5: Moving around

Theme 5: Moving around ewilliam

What our community said 

We value access to private, public and active transport options to move around Boroondara. We value measures which can ease traffic congestion and provide safe and connected cycling and walking options. This includes well maintained footpaths for pedestrians. We value these measures because of the convenience, time savings and reduced environmental impact. This can improve quality of life at all life stages.

Our Strategic Objective

Travel options are safe, efficient and accessible, with active and public transport encouraged.

How we will achieve our Strategic Objective

Strategy 5.1. Safe roads are provided through proactive maintenance, renewal and community education. 

Strategy 5.2. Traffic congestion is better managed through advocacy to State and Federal Governments for changes to main roads.

Strategy 5.3. Shared paths and footpaths are fit-for-purpose through continued improvements to surface condition and lighting.

Strategy 5.4. Off-road bike paths and on-road cycling lanes are interconnected and safe through expanding access and infrastructure for cyclists.

Strategy 5.5. Sustainable transport use is encouraged and supported through delivery of green travel programs and advocacy to State and Federal Governments. 

Strategy 5.6. Emerging transport options including e-mobility are planned for by exploring initiatives that increase safety and public confidence in e-mobility use and infrastructure.

How we will measure our success

We will measure the:

  • community satisfaction with sealed local roads
  • community satisfaction with local shared paths for cycling and walking as a way to get around Boroondara
  • percentage of sealed local roads that are below the renewal intervention level set in the Road Management Plan Building Services checked within 15 business days
  • percentage of footpath inspections completed and defects remediated within with the timeframes as specified in our Road Management Plan
  • number of sustainable transport programs delivered to primary schools
  • number of traffic counts and surveys used to investigate, assess and respond to traffic and parking issues
  • number of advocacy initiatives related to public transport services
  • average daily bicycle users for Gardiners Creek Trail, the Anniversary Trail, Koonung Trail and Main Yarra Trail.

Our services 

There are many services we provide to our community to support our Strategic Objective for Theme 5.

These include services in:  

  • Civic Services
  • Road Maintenance and Repair
  • Traffic and Transport.

Read a full list of the services we provide in each of these areas

Theme 6: Local economy

Theme 6: Local economy ewilliam

What our community said 

We value our shopping strips, including places where we can shop, socialise and dine out close to home. We strive to support locally owned businesses and want to attract more diverse businesses to our neighbourhoods. This will allow us to live locally and contribute to a thriving local economy.

Our Strategic Objective

Support local businesses and enhance shopping precincts, fostering a strong economy and welcoming places for the community.    

How we will achieve our Strategic Objective

Strategy 6.1. Local retail precincts provide a gathering point for residents and attract shoppers through supporting initiatives which encourage a range of businesses needed by the community.  

Strategy 6.2. Local traders and businesses are supported by providing training and upskilling initiatives to maintain and increase viable businesses. 

Strategy 6.3. Shopping centres and strips are hubs of community activity through activating local shopping precincts. 

Strategy 6.4. Shopping centres are clean, well-maintained and inviting, through revitalising infrastructure and streetscapes and proactive renewal and maintenance.

Strategy 6.5. Local visitation is increased through showcasing and promoting local shopping and attractions. 

How we will measure our success

We will measure the:

  • participants’ satisfaction in our business training activities
  • satisfaction with work to improve quality of streetscapes in shopping precincts to attract and retain good shops and businesses
  • number of permits for outdoor trading
  • number of proactive strip shopping centre maintenance inspections completed.

Our services 

There are many services we provide to our community to support our Strategic Objective for Theme 6.

These include services in:  

  • Local Economies
  • Minor Shopping Centre Upgrade and Maintenance.

Read a full list of the services we provide in each of these areas

Theme 7: Leadership and governance

Theme 7: Leadership and governance ewilliam

What our community said 

We value strong, respectful Council leaders who govern responsibly by making sure decisions are transparent and resources are carefully allocated. We expect to be consulted and learn about services and facilities provided by Council through a variety of communications channels so all members of our community, including hardly reached groups, are empowered to have their say and make the most of what Council offers. Where issues are outside Council’s direct control, we value Council advocating on the priorities important to our community and keeping us updated.

Our Strategic Objective

Ensure decisions are financially and socially responsible through transparent and ethical processes.

How we will achieve our Strategic Objective

Strategy 7.1. Decision-making is transparent and accountable through open governance processes with timely communication and reporting. 

Strategy 7.2. Resources are responsibly allocated and used through sound financial and asset planning, procurement and risk management practices. 

Strategy 7.3. Deliver the Boroondara Community Plan through partnerships with our community and a high-performing focused organisation.

Strategy 7.4. The voices of our community are heard through engagement strategies to allow effective representation on current and long-term community needs.

Strategy 7.5. The community’s interests are represented by Council through leadership and strong advocacy to external stakeholders.

Strategy 7.6. Convenient and accessible choices for interacting with Council are provided by offering various options for services and engagement. 

Strategy 7.7. Services are enhanced through improvements to Council’s technology, data, processes and performance. 

Strategy 7.8. Celebrate and recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge and heritage through implementing initiatives in partnership with our community and stakeholders. 

How we will measure our success

We will measure the:

  • satisfaction with making community decisions
  • satisfaction with informing the community
  • community satisfaction with the overall performance of Council
  • satisfaction with community consultation and engagement
  • community satisfaction with customer service 
  • percentage of freedom of information requests responded to within the required timeframes
  • current assets compared to current liabilities
  • percentage of adopted capital projects completed at the end of the financial year (based on the most recent amended budget)
  • number of transactions started through our website
  • number of calls that customers leave when they are trying to reach our customer service team
  • number of cybersecurity incidents that put user data at risk
  • access to Council’s website (percentage of time available).

Our services 

There are many services we provide to our community to support our Strategic Objective for Theme 7.

These include services in:  

  • Chief Financial Office
  • Council Operations
  • Customer Support and Corporate Information
  • Digital
  • Governance and Legal
  • Information Technology
  • People, Culture and Development
  • Strategic Communications
  • Strategy and Performance.

Read a full list of the services we provide in each of these areas

Our health priorities

Our health priorities ewilliam

Overall, the Boroondara community has good health and quality of life.

However, we identified 6 health priorities for Council to focus on. These came from research and consultation completed to develop the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2021–25:

  1. Improving mental wellbeing and social connection
  2. Tackling climate change and its impacts on health
  3. Preventing all forms of violence
  4. Reducing harmful alcohol use
  5. Increasing healthy eating
  6. Increasing active living.

These health priorities are informed by the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2019–2023 health priorities and represent the most significant preventable causes of poor health and wellbeing in Boroondara. We will use a life stage approach to address the health priorities. However, it’s also necessary to focus our actions on health inequities for certain groups in our community. 

These groups include:

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
  • older people living alone
  • single-parent families
  • people with disability and carers
  • people with low English language skills
  • LGBTQIA+ community members
  • people who are homeless and social housing tenants. 

This approach is supported by our wellbeing commitment set out in this Plan.

Each year, an annual action plan will outline how we will implement these health priorities. Annual action plans and evaluation reports will be available online. We will also regularly update the health indicators online.

Health priority outcomes and why they matter

Improving mental wellbeing and social connection

People feel connected to others, have a sense of belonging, can cope with the usual stresses of life, and have opportunities and the capacity to contribute to community life.

Mental health is an essential part of individual and community wellbeing. It significantly contributes to the social, cultural and economic life of our city. The benefits of preventing mental ill health and supporting social connection at all life stages are not just for the individual. They are for the whole community.
 

Tackling climate change and its impacts on health

Communities are resilient and safe through adapting to and preventing the health impacts of climate change.

Climate change affects our health and wellbeing in different ways. This includes through the impacts of extreme events, worsening air quality and effects on our mental health. Actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change can have direct and indirect co-health benefits. This includes promoting active modes of travel, which also reduce air pollution, and increasing our tree canopy to reduce the urban heat island effect. 
 

Preventing all forms of violence

People feel safe, respected and live their lives free from violence.

We all have a right to feel safe, respected and to live our lives free from violence. Family violence has a big impact on health and wellbeing, including:

  • worsened physical and mental health
  • loss of housing
  • loss or limited access to employment
  • financial insecurity
  • isolation from family and social support 
  • death in extreme cases.
     

Reducing harmful alcohol use

People are supported and encouraged to make healthy choices to reduce harmful alcohol use.

Alcohol-related harm is a significant preventable health issue. Drinking too much can lead to harmful short-term and long-term effects. 

It can have negative impacts on:

  • a person’s mental and physical health
  • a person’s family 
  • the wider community.
     

Increasing healthy eating

Nutritious food is accessible to all, with healthy choices supported and encouraged.

People who don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables can have poor health and a higher risk of diseases. People who eat healthily can have better mental and physical health. 

Increasing active living

Physical activity is encouraged, supported and easily incorporated into daily life.

Daily physical activity can prevent many diseases such as:

  • heart disease
  • some cancers
  • diabetes
  • musculoskeletal conditions
  • depression. 

Physical activity is also a health co-benefit of taking action on climate change by encouraging more active travel.
 

Our wellbeing commitment

Our wellbeing commitment ewilliam

Our health and wellbeing is influenced by much more than our individual choices. 

Good physical, mental and social health starts in our community, through opportunities to connect, participate and access what we need in order to make healthy choices. 

Through the Plan, we are committed to enhancing wellbeing for people who live, work, study or recreate in the municipality as an outcome of everything we do. We will strive to provide a high quality of liveability through our planning, services, places and spaces to enable all members of the community to make healthy choices.

We will prioritise action focusing on improving health in order to achieve our community’s vision for Boroondara’s future. Our commitment to wellbeing is guided by the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006, which recognises all people have equal rights to Council services and facilities and the key role the community plays in decision-making. 

This commitment implies a focus on equity so community members of all ages, genders, sexualities, religions, backgrounds, locations and abilities have the same opportunities to achieve good health and wellbeing.

We will work together with our community and local organisations to make good health and wellbeing a reality for all by embedding our health priorities within the 7 themes to ensure health and wellbeing is at the centre of everything we do

Implementation and evaluation

Implementation and evaluation ewilliam

The Boroondara Community Plan 2021–31 (the Plan) is our key strategic document. It directly informs our other strategic documents, which all use the same 7 priority themes outlined in the Plan.

This graphic shows our set of strategic documents and how each document links back to the Plan.  As a set, these documents give us a clear direction to achieve our Community Vision and our health and wellbeing commitment.

The graphic also shows our commitment to ongoing monitoring and review of the Plan. This helps us measure our success in achieving our objectives and how well our strategies are supporting our goals.  To make sure we are being transparent and accountable, this includes publishing reports about our progress to the public.

The Plan sets our direction for the next 10 years. However, we will check in with the community at the end of each Council term (every 4 years). This will help us make sure that the Plan still meets the needs of our community.

An infographic that summarises how Council’s other strategic documents are informed by the Boroondara Community Plan 2021–31. It shows how they all work together to provide a clear direction to achieve Council’s overall goal of community health and wellbeing.