You can have this page translated into our top 10 language groups.

Click the language drop-down in the top right corner of this page. It will have a picture of a world globe next to it.

If you do not speak one of these languages, contact the TIS on 131450.

If you have any other questions or concerns, contact us at haveyoursay@knox.vic.gov.au

This is the engagement page for Asset Plan 2025 - 2035.

A text document of this page content is available upon request if your screen reader is not compatible with this webpage.

If you have any specific accessibility needs, please contact us at haveyoursay@knox.vic.gov.au

If you have mobility requirements, please contact haveyoursay@knox.vic.gov.au

Community members attending engagements are entitled to be accompanied by a support person. Please let us know if you will be attending with a support person for seating and catering requirements.

Cabcharge vouchers may be made available for eligible community members for travel to and from engagement activities.

Accessible parking is available on site at the Knox Operations Centre Centre. Please let us know if you require accessible parking so that we can ensure we have enough spaces available.

Council manages a large and diverse portfolio of community assets worth $1.237 billion (excluding land value). This includes:

• buildings (e.g. civic centre, libraries, community centres, public toilets, pre-school, sporting pavilions), heating and cooling systems, solar panels
• roads, bridges, car parks
• footpaths, shared pathways, accessibility needs (e.g. ramps)
• playground equipment, park seats and other furniture
• trees and vegetation, bushland, sites of biological significance
• sporting fields, playing courts
• drains, stormwater quality devices

The Asset Plan provides strategic direction on how Council cost-effectively manages the large portfolio of community assets to meet evolving community needs.

We are developing a new Asset Plan 2025-2035 to guide how we manage community assets into the future. For the next 10 years, Council has a budget of $698.3 million to manage community assets. The plan will detail principles on how Council will use, maintain, build, acquire and dispose infrastructure assets.

The plan must address the minimum standard required for our assets to ensure we meet legal, compliance and safety standards.

Beyond the minimum standards, the plan considers discretionary items such as the capital works programs, renewal works and service levels to be variables. Community panel members will be able to influence how budget is allocated for these items.

A community panel is a group of randomly selected people that generally represents the demographic makeup of a community. Panel members will learn and discuss topics important to the community. The Panel will work with Council to develop draft recommendations for the Asset Plan.

Here is a quick video about a Community Panel we ran in 2023, while it was a different conversation you can get an idea of the experience from past participants.

You can apply if you’re aged 16 and over and your usual residence or place of business is in the City of Knox. A maximum of one person from one address can be selected to participate.

You can’t apply if you are currently, or have been:

• Committee members and paid staff of organisations that have a lease or licence for a Council Asset
• Council staff and volunteers, and their immediate family
• State and federal members, staff, family
• Councillors, their staff and family
• Past Councillors for the last 7 years
• Council’s Advisory Committees members (they already have a voice to Council).

If you are under 18 we will need to get parent consent to confirm your selection.

If selected, you will meet with people from all walks of life in your community at two sessions. You will hear from experts and have to opportunity to ask questions. Facilitators will make sure everyone has their say. You don’t need any prior knowledge – we’ll provide all the information you need.

You will need to be available to attend all the following four sessions:  

• Wednesday 16 April 2025, 6pm to 8pm
• Wednesday 7 May 2025, 6pm to 8pm

The sessions will be in person at Knox Operations Centre, 14 Henderson Road, Knoxfield.

To cover any costs associated with attending and to recognise your time commitment, you will receive a total of $150 in Coles vouchers.

You will need to attend both sessions to receive payment.

You will need to complete the expression of interest form to share some information about you. This information will go to our independent consultant, Capire Consulting Group, who are completing the selection process for us.

Our venues have full disability access . If you need it, we will provide technology support, translated materials, language and Auslan interpreters and hearing loops. We may be able to assist with transport and childcare needs – please let us know about your situation when we contact you.

If you attend all two sessions, you will receive $150 to cover any costs associated with your attendance and to recognise your time commitment. Meals and refreshments are also provided.

Once registration has closed, approximately 25 people will be randomly selected to participate. This selection will be representative of the wider community.

If you are selected, our independent consultants Capire will contact you by phone and email in the week of 24 March to let you know, and confirm your attendance. We will also discuss any requirements or assistance you may need and explain what happens next.

Recommendations from the community panel will be considered in the development of the Asset Plan 2025 – 2023.

A report on the outcome of the community panel will be included in the report to Council with the draft Asset Plan.

If you are not selected we will let you know in early April, once the panel is finalised.

Across the life of the project you can stay up to date by sighing up to Have Your Say and clicking '+ Follow the project' at the top of this page. We will share information, including on the work of the panel.

Over the last year we have been developing our Council Plan, Health and Wellbeing Plan and the Financial Plan. The Strategies define our service priorities and financial conditions that will inform how we manage our assets into the future. This work was informed by broad community engagement as well as a community panel that met four times to develop recommendations for Council to consider when drafting these strategies. You can read more about this engagement on the Our Knox page.

The Knox community is growing and we need to deliver a wide range of services to meet the diverse needs of our community. Our assets are core to us delivering these services.

Building on the work already completed to define priorities and services, we need to ensure we have balanced the potential financial investment into assets with long term financial sustainability.

Do we need to adjust the financial investment into our different asset classifications to better meet the identified priorities?

A deliberative panel will be formed to provide recommendations for Council to consider when making their decision.

When making the decision Council will also consider information from:

• draft Council and Health and Wellbeing Plan
• draft Financial Plan and budget
• Service data
• Regulations, legislation and industry standards

The panel will be made up of a sample of people that represent the Knox community demographics including;

• Gender
• Age
• Suburb of strongest connection
• Cultural and linguistic diversity
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
• Experience of permanent disability
• LGBTIQ

Where Council should prioritise its discretionary funding and service levels to deliver/maintain the assets that benefit the community.

The identification of opportunities and guidance which would lead to an increase/decrease in service levels for asset categories.

• Available budget
• Legislative requirements
• Timelines for adopting the plan
• Eligibility and selection process for the panel