An update from the most recent Council Meeting that took place on 15 July 2025.
More information is available at 2025 Council Meeting Agendas and Minutes.
Draft ‘We Are Brimbank’ Integrated Community Vision 2050, Council Plan and Health and Wellbeing Plan 2025-2029
Council endorsed the draft ‘We Are Brimbank’ Integrated Community Vision 2050, Council Plan and Health and Wellbeing Plan 2025-2029 for public exhibition and community consultation.
The draft plan outlines Council’s strategic direction and priorities and is directly aligned with the Council Vision for ‘A proud and vibrant Brimbank that is beautiful, thriving, healthy and connected’.
The Health and Wellbeing Plan is fully integrated into the Council Plan, ensuring health, wellbeing and equity are embedded across all areas of Council’s work.
The draft plan is built around four key pillars – People, Places, Prosperity, and Leadership and Governance – and it contains 13 Strategic Priorities and 40 four-year initiatives.
The Council Report noted that community feedback will be sought through the online consultation platform YourSay from 17 July to 14 August 2025.
A further report on the outcomes of community consultation about the Final Draft ‘We Are Brimbank’ Integrated Community Vision 2050, Council Plan and Health and Wellbeing Plan 2025-2029 will inform the final We Are Brimbank plan, which will come back to Council for consideration in October 2025.
Planning Activity Update and Delegate Decisions including Planning Scheme Amendment Update
This report provided Council with an update on:
- The status of Planning Permit Applications in June 2025
- Decisions made under delegated authority in June 2025 and
- The status of current Planning Scheme Amendments over the same period.
In June 2025 Council officers made 70 planning determinations and 25 subdivision determinations under delegation, and 68 new planning permit applications were received.
The value of development for these 68 applications is $47.49 million.
At the end of June 2025, there were three planning appeals lodged at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) that had not yet been determined. This is one less than at the end of June 2024.
The Minister for Planning granted conditional authorisation for Amendment C219brim – Heritage Update on 6 June 2025. This updates heritage properties in the Grand Junction and Matthews Hill Estate precincts and includes Beaufort Houses and Quonset Warehouse. A condition of authorisation was to remove the Quonset Warehouse from the amendment.
Planning Compliance Activity Update – 1 April to 30 June 2025
This report showed:
- Council’s Planning Compliance Unit received 132 new requests for service between 1 April and 30 June 2025.
- The number of requests received was higher than the previous quarter, when 129 requests were received.
- 129 requests were resolved by Officers during the quarter.
The most common requests received related to signage complaints, which accounted for 27 per cent of the total requests. These requests were located throughout the municipality, with the majority being in the central and western areas.
Contravention of planning permit conditions was next, being 23 per cent of total requests, and uses without a planning permit being 17 per cent of the requests received. Other requests for service related to home-based businesses.
Council issued 30 Planning Infringement Notices during this period.
Return of General Valuation 2024/2025
Council adopted the return of the General Valuation 2025 for all rateable and non-rateable properties made by the Valuer-General, in line with the Valuation of Land Act 1960 for the purposes of the Local Government Act 2020.
It is a statutory requirement, under the Valuation Act, to conduct an annual General Valuation and the valuations will be used to set the rates for the 2025/2026 Financial Year.
Return of Supplementary Valuation 2024/2025
Council adopted the Supplementary Valuations made by the Valuer General’s appointed Valuer, in line with section 13DF of the Valuation of Land Act 1960.
These valuations are completed for rating purposes.
Supplementary valuations are a statutory requirement under the Valuation Act.
The supplementary valuations must be set at market levels attainable as at the last General Valuation, which was 1 January 2024.
Governance Report July 2025
Council considered a summary of recent governance activity. This included a report on the exercise of delegated authority, Councillor Representatives’ and delegates’ reports from committees, Councillor declarations of Representations by Members of Parliament, and records of informal meetings of Council.
In addition, Council endorsed the retirement of the Brimbank Landscape Policy 2002, in favour of a compliance-based approach where randomly selected developments will be inspected, and appropriate action taken if the landscaping is found to be non-compliant.
Draft Brimbank Asset Plan 2025-2035
Council endorsed the draft Brimbank Asset Plan for 2025-2035 for public exhibition and stakeholder and community consultation.
The Asset Plan will help guide Council on how to sustainably manage, renew, build or upgrade important public assets including parks and playgrounds, footpaths and bike paths, roads and bridges, stormwater drains, community centres, sports pavilions, libraries and more.
Council manages over $2.8 billion of assets already in service and wants to continue to provide safe, clean and well-maintained public assets for the community to use and enjoy now and into the future.
This draft plan demonstrates Council’s commitment to service quality with financial prudence and long-term financial planning, ensuring infrastructure investments meet community needs effectively and sustainably over the next 10 years.
Council has engaged with a wide range of people throughout Brimbank to help shape the draft plan, including families, seniors, people living with a disability, carers, children, young people, businesses and local service providers.
We also carried out a focused deliberative engagement process with the Brimbank Community Voice Panel, specifically concentrating on the maintenance and renewal of community assets.
Council is now seeking further community feedback through the online consultation platform YourSay from 17 July to 14 August 2025, before finalising the plan.
Draft Road Management Plan 2025-2029
Brimbank manages approximately 1,600km of footpath network and 894 kms of roads. Under the Road Management Act 2004, Council is the Responsible Authority for local roads and required to have a Road Management Plan.
The Brimbank Road Management Plan has been subject to review, involving significant analysis, including assessment of current practice, benchmarking with peer councils, and alignment with industry standards.
The Road Management Plan sets out Council’s obligations, as the Responsible Authority, to inspect, maintain, and repair public roads under its responsibility. It also aims to:
- Provide a safe and efficient road network for use by all members of the public.
- Establish road asset management practices focused on delivering optimal outcomes while having regard to affordability, available resources, and the policies, priorities, and strategies.
- Set out the policies and procedures adopted by the City of Brimbank to achieve its road maintenance standards.
- Describe the inspection frequencies and condition standards for various road-related assets.
- Evaluate and confirm that the inspection, maintenance, and repair standards for the roads covered by the Road Management Plan are suitable and appropriately prioritised.
After consideration, Council endorsed the Draft Brimbank Road Management Plan 2025-2029 to be submitted for community consultation according to the Road Management Act 2004, the Local Government Act 2020, and Council’s Community Engagement Policy 2024. Consultation will commence on 22 July 2025.
