We explain some of the highlights from the meeting below.

Council noted the Our Place, Our Plan community engagement report

We developed a community engagement program called Our Place, Our Plan to help us plan for Glen Eira’s future. It is one of our most comprehensive and accessible community engagement programs to date and focused on talking to the community about their priorities for the next four years and beyond.

The four phases of the program include:

• Phase one: Glen Eira 2040 Community Vision check in
• Phase two: Broad community engagement
• Phase three: Community Priorities Panel sessions
• Phase four: Consultation on the draft plans with the broader community

Phase two began on 5 February and concluded on 16 March. This report provided Council with the feedback from that process.

During the six-week period, we received 1,578 total contributions from the community on their thoughts and opinions for Glen Eira’s future.

We also undertook 28 targeted engagement activities to engage harder-to-reach groups and ensure their voices were heard. This included committee and network meetings with various Council and community groups, sessions with young people, people with disabilities, LGBTIQA+ community, multicultural groups, seniors and marginalised communities and Traditional Owner groups.

The broad community engagement report will be supported by the Community Priorities Panel’s recommendations, which will be brought to the 20 May 2025 ordinary Council meeting.

Council endorsed the Elsternwick Club community visioning engagement summary report

Last year we purchased the Elsternwick Club site in Sandham Street Elsternwick with plans to create a future place for the community to enjoy and connect with each other. We also ran an engagement program to hear the community’s vision for the safe.

The report provided Council with a summary of what we heard from the community. People expressed their preference for:

• Shaded areas with trees or structures — comfortable spaces providing cooling and shelter.
• Social gathering areas — spaces with seating for informal socialising
• Flexible green spaces such as lawns and open areas for gathering or small events.

The top three ideas for how we should develop the heritage building at the site were:

1. community hub
2. food and beverage venue
3. art and history space

We will continue to stay committed to acquiring and developing public open spaces to support people’s quality of life and contribute to a more sustainable and vibrant City.

Council endorsed the draft Biodiversity Plan 2025–2029 for consultation

The draft Biodiversity Plan builds on current knowledge to outline a series of ambitious yet achievable tasks to improve biodiversity in Glen Eira.

These tasks are grouped under four goals:

1. Prioritise the inclusion of First Peoples in biodiversity management.
2. Improve our understanding of Glen Eira’s biodiversity.
3. Maintain, improve and protect Glen Eira’s biodiversity.
4. Engage with our community to enhance and protect Glen Eira’s biodiversity.

The development of the draft Biodiversity Plan was informed by the community’s feedback and the recent phases of the Our Place, Our Plan engagement earlier this year.

Now, we will be showing the draft Plan to the community to make sure we heard from them correctly.

The finalised Plan will help us understand the impacts of climate change on our local flora and fauna and identify ways to help our local ecosystems flourish and while connecting people to nature.

Council endorsed the draft 2025–2026 Budget and 2025–2029 Revenue and Rating Plan for consultation

The Budget must be adopted before the start of each financial year and must include details on expected income, expenditure, and big projects.

The Revenue and Rating Plan outlines how Council will generate income through rates, fees, and charges over a four-year period. This plan ensures that Council's revenue-raising methods are fair and align with the community's needs and expectations.

We deliver more than 120 highly valued services to help build a connected and inclusive community. Our aim is to maintain these services to the standards expected of us. Community feedback on the Budget and Plan will help us remain transparent about our funding priorities and balance the community’s priorities beside our policy and legislative commitments.

For more information and all the reports from the meeting, visit our Council meeting page.