REDLAND City Council is preparing to adopt its next five-year roadmap, with the Our Future Redland City: Corporate Plan 2026-2031 set to take effect from July 1, 2026.
The updated plan comes after eight months of consultation, research and refinement, with more than 600 residents participating across surveys, focus groups and pop-up events.
The new Corporate Plan replaces the current version expiring on June 30, and has been reshaped to reflect changing community expectations, emerging regional trends and detailed feedback gathered through two phases of engagement.
Council says the plan will guide strategic direction for the next five financial years and ensure alignment with future budget and operational planning.
Residents told Council their top priorities included sustainable and accessible environments, better community facilities, more support for local businesses, improved transparency, and stronger youth engagement.
As a result, several goals and priorities in the Corporate Plan have been reframed.
The former Natural Environment objective has become Sustainable Environments, reflecting calls for not only conservation but also access to spaces that support recreation, eco-tourism and wellbeing.
The plan now places stronger emphasis on youth – highlighting belonging, civic pride and opportunities in arts, culture and community life – as well as economic sustainability and local procurement.
Residents sought clearer communication and explanations of government roles.
The plan’s commitments around transparency, advocacy and value-for-money services have been strengthened in response.
Community feedback led to several other refinements, including updated diagrams, clarified wording throughout the document, and renaming “Success Measures” to “What success will look like”.
Council also removed the word “feels” from indicators of success, and expanded sections outlining how residents can play an active role.
Council’s two consultation phases gathered insights from a total of 614 participants.
Phase One, conducted between May and June, attracted 342 survey responses and included eight focus groups, a whole-of-community workshop and six pop-up sessions across local events and venues.
Phase Two, held in October and November, sought feedback on the draft plan and drew 100 more submissions.
Council says all input was analysed to inform adjustments to the final document.
A full summary is included in the Corporate Plan Community Engagement Report, which forms part of the agenda for the December 10 General Meeting.
The revised plan removes the former “Catalyst Projects” and “Key Initiatives”, with Council opting for a more high-level strategic document.
Specific projects will instead be detailed annually through the Operational Plan, linked to alignment with available budget and funding opportunities.
Council will also develop complementary KPIs to help track long-term progress and inform decision-making through data, benchmarking and community satisfaction insights.
Under the Local Government Act 2009, Council must prepare a five-year Corporate Plan and adopt it in time to align with the subsequent year’s budget.
Officers warn that delaying adoption could risk misalignment with the 2026-27 budget development process and potentially impact funding for early implementation.
The Corporate Plan has been developed within existing budget allocations.
Council employees were also involved through workshops and feedback sessions, with staff required to support the delivery of the plan once adopted.
Council officers have recommended adoption of the new Corporate Plan, noting it will provide the strategic framework needed to guide future decisions, operational planning and investment over the next five years.
If approved, the Our Future Redland City: Corporate Plan 2026-2031 will formally commence on July 1, 2026.
