Council is required to adopt an Asset Plan covering a period of at least ten years by 30 June 2022. Within this context it is proposed that Council adopt an Asset Plan 2021-2031 by 30 June 2021, to align strategic asset planning with other elements of Council’s Strategic Planning Framework.

Council are seeking community contribution to help form the Asset Plan for 2021-2031. Council aims to have the plan adopted by 30 June 2021, community feedback will close on 28 May 2021 to allow sufficient time to consider contributions.

The following strategic asset opportunities have been identified and are recommended to form the basis for deliberative engagement with the community, with a view to them forming part of the Asset Plan 2021-2031:

• Develop a “rural road backbone” centred on Tatyoon Rd and Mt William Road, servicing agricultural freight, and community and tourist traffic. This is based on heavy use of these roads by local and non-local traffic.
• Develop Delacombe Way as a major connector road across the municipality serving agricultural and community traffic.

• Plan and develop a north-south heavy transport route around Ararat. Such a route has the capacity to remove just over 500 heavy vehicle movements per day from the centre of Ararat, based on preliminary Rural Roads Victoria data.

• Develop and implement a plan to seal key urban unsealed roads and laneways throughout Ararat Rural City.

• Work with the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and Regional
  Development Victoria (RDV) to resolve the Aradale site, with a preference for outcomes that enhance economic and social outcomes for the municipality.

• Partner with Grampians Community Health to seek funding to redevelop the McDonald Centre site for health and community use.

• Upgrade the Ararat Leisure Centre to enhance functionality, access and inclusion and extend the useful life of a key recreational asset.

• Section 92 of the Local Government Act 2020 (the Act) requires Council to develop, adopt and keep in force an Asset Plan in accordance with its deliberative engagement practices.

• Section 92(6) of the Act requires that the Asset Plan is adopted by Council by 30 June 2022.

• Section 92(3) requires the Asset Plan include the following detail:
  • a. information about maintenance, renewal, acquisition, expansion, upgrade, disposal and decommissioning in relation to each class of infrastructure asset under the control of the Council;
  • b. any other matters prescribed by the regulations.