In September 2024, Frankston City Council (Council) undertook a deliberation process to review the Frankston City 2040 Community Vision and inform development of the Council and Wellbeing Plan (2025-29).

Frankston City 2040 sets the community’s vision and aspirations that the Council and the community will work towards to deliver a shared future towards 2040.

1.1 Project Stages

There are three stages of engagement in this project:

• Stage 1: March to May 2024 – broader engagement with the wider community (mixed method approach)
• Stage 2a: September 2024 – deliberative engagement with a representative Community Panel (Online and Face-to-Face Workshops) to test and strengthen the Community Vision.
• Stage 2b: November 2024 – deliberative engagement with a representative Community Panel (Online) to inform development of the Council and Wellbeing Plan (2025-29), Long Term Financial Plan and Asset Plan.
• Stage 3: Mid 2025 – Public exhibition of the Council and Wellbeing Plan (2025-29),.

Each stage builds on the previous stage, both in the information provided and collected. Please refer to Stage 1 Broad Engagement Summary Report for results of the Stage 1 community consultation. This report presents the methodology and findings for Stage 2 of the engagement program.

1.2 Outcome of this process

Local Councils are required to maintain a Community Vision that is developed and reviewed using deliberative engagement practices. The scope of the Community Vision must be for a period of at least the next 10 years, and describe the community’s aspirations for the future of the municipality. The Community Vision reviewed as part of this process will be used to provide direction for the Council & Wellbeing Plan and Council’s other mandated plans and strategies

2.1 Recruitment

An open invitation was extended to all residents within Frankston City Council to be part of the deliberative process. This opportunity was hosted online via the Engage Frankston community engagement portal and was promoted online and in print.

Panel members were recruited by Conversation Co to reflect the demographic makeup of the Frankston City community using a stratified sampling approach. A total of 110 nominations were received, with 44 people recruited, and 39 of these participated in the panel. Figure 3 shows the demographic makeup of the panel across age, gender, house tenure, location, education and identification with demographic descriptors (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, cultural diversity, disability and sexuality).

From the first meeting to the last, there was no drop off in panel member participation. Participation in the panel process was supported through:

• Members only portal: A specific project page through the Engage Frankston portal was established for panel members. This portal contained the key documents and had the ability for panel members to ask questions of the project team or provide feedback.
• Training on online tools: Panel members were offered support in use of online meeting tools such as Zoom and MentiMeter. No training was requested prior to Workshop 1.
• Participation reminders: Reminder SMS messages were sent to panel members from a text service prior to each workshop. Follow-up emails were sent between meetings with any updates or pre reading to be completed.
• Materials sent out in advance: Reading materials were provided to panel members at least seven days in advance of Workshop 1. A video recap of Workshop 1, and outcomes for further consideration were provided to participants prior to Workshop 2.
• Meeting absence grace: Participants were able to miss a meeting and still remain in the group, under the instruction that they watch a recording of the first session or needed to do the pre reading.

2.2 Overall Approach

A key component of the project and requirement of the Local Government Act 2020 is to engage the community in the deliberation of the Community Vision. A deliberative approach can be described as a process of thoughtfully weighing up options, emphasising the use of logic and discussion as opposed to power struggle. Group decisions are generally made after deliberation through a vote of consensus of those involved.

Frankston City Panel members attended one workshop online and one in person. The in person session ran for four hours and the online session ran for three hours. Both workshops focused on discussing and reviewing the Community Vision and agreeing upon any required changes to the Vision Statement, Vision Themes and Vision Aspirations.

Prior to attending the workshop, panel members were given the Community Engagement Summary Report and detailed report to review and a Community Vision 2040 Progress Report detailing Council’s actions and progress towards delivering the Community Vision. During the workshop they were then asked to review the information presented by the presenters, consider the feedback from Stage 1 and connect the Community Vision theme to what matters to the community most today and for the next four years.

Section 1: Understanding their role and deliberating on the Community Vision

The first part of the workshop program was focused on panel members understanding their role and the work of local government, and creating trust in each other and in Council.

Items in Workshop 1 Sunday 8 September 2024, 10.00 am to 2:00 pm:

• Panel role and make up: Discussion of the group’s role, the makeup of the panel and the role of Council in supporting the panel.

• Three levels of government: High level presentation of Council’s role and operations, in comparison to other levels of government.

• Stage 1 Broader engagement: Presentation to show the findings from the broader engagement conducted in Stage 1.

• Process to develop the Community Vision in 2021: High level presentation of the deliberation process completed in 2021 and desired realignment of community aspirations to Council Plan outcomes in 2024.

• Reviewing the Community Vision Statement: The Panel reviewed community feedback on the current Vision statement, including the words that connected most with the community, and additional aspirations that the broader community suggested a revised Vision statement could include. In four smaller groups, the Panel considered four options for how the broader community feedback could be reflected in the revised Vision, and were invited to make further proposed revisions to the statement. Vision statements drafted by each small group were then presented back to all Panel members, and were voted on. The two preferred vision statements were then carried into Workshop 2 for further refinement.

Section 2: Finalising the Community Vision Statement, Themes and aspirations

The second part of the workshop program was spent discussing four broad Community Vision themes and reviewing the aspirations for each.

Items in Workshop 2 Tuesday 10 September 2024, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm:

• Reducing Community Vision themes from six to four: Based on feedback received in broad engagement in Stage 1, Council proposed to the Community Panel a reduction of the existing Community Vision themes from six to four. Council explained the duplication identified by participants in the broad engagement, and Council’s aim to better integrate the Community Vision themes with the Council Plan. There was majority support for this reduction with 26 of the 34 Panel members supporting this move. Refer to Appendix 1.

• Naming the Community Vision themes: Three naming conventions were proposed to encapsulate the meaning of the four themes, which emerged from review of broad engagement feedback. These themes were discussed and voted on at the beginning of the workshop, then voted on again at the conclusion of the workshop. The three options are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Presented naming conventions

Appendix 2 shows the voting results conducted prior to, and after developing the aspirations. The group was much more unified in their support of the listed theme titles above.

• Creating an aspiration statement for each theme: Panel members were invited to participate in two smaller groups to focus on two themes each. Each small group discussed community feedback, previous Council Plan priorities and worked to review aspiration statements and agree upon required changes that would help to realise the Community Vision. Options for the revised aspirations for each theme were then presented back to all Panel participants for voting. The preferred aspiration statements for each theme were agreed upon by the Panel as follows:

• Theme 1: Healthy and inclusive communities

Frankston City is a place for everyone to feel proud, safe, healthy and supported in wellness. All people are recognised, supported, respected and celebrated. Our green spaces, quality health services, social support, education and community groups are accessible and inclusive. We recognise and respect the heritage and history of our First Nations peoples.

• Theme 2: Natural environment

Frankston City is committed to balancing the enjoyment of the environment with robust and sustainable land management. The community is educated on how to care for the environment, and the protection of biodiversity and the health of natural spaces is promoted. Climate change is being actively addressed, and our integrated water systems are future proofed against the challenges of our coastal region. Waste management is transparent and innovative.

• Theme 3: Connected places and economy

Frankston City is a thriving, prosperous, safe place, where people love to live, study, work and visit. Public spaces provide an extensive range of cultural, artistic and recreational pursuits. Frankston City nurtures and attracts innovation and investment and is known for its diverse educational and business opportunities. It's well-connected, with a network of easy to access, progressive and resilient infrastructure.

• Theme 4: Council performance and leadership

Frankston City Council communicates honestly and transparently with our communities and advocates for people of all abilities and backgrounds. Council is trusted and well governed and uses its resources in an accountable and sustainable manner. Councillors and Council work as a team to prioritise the community's interest through programs of ongoing engagement.

• Deliberating the Community Vision Statement: The two preferred vision statements were revisited and Panel Members were asked to vote on their preferred vision statement to continue working on, with the intention that we would spend the remaining time refining the statement to reflect community needs and aspirations. The two preferred vision statements that were carried over from Workshop 1 were as follows:

• Option 1: “Frankston City 2040 is a vibrant, safe, inclusive and proud community in which to belong, live, work and play. Our coastal city is clean, leafy, environmentally responsible, well planned, accessible and innovative for a changing future.”

• Option 2: “Frankston City 2040 is a thriving coastal city, renowned for its vibrant and sustainable environment. Our community is empowered to be healthy and active, socially connected and engaged. We are proud of our community which is inclusive and welcoming, as we value and respect each other. Our city is green and leafy, clean and safe, well planned and accessible, making it a great place for everyone to learn, live, work and play.”

Option 1 received the most support from Panel Members from a voting process, which reflected the preference of 21 from 34 participants. The Panel then discussed and refined the statement to increase the level of support from participants that preferred option 2. Panel Members were asked to vote on the refined vision, a comparison of the level of support for this vision in comparison to the vision developed in 2021.

2.3 Provision of Time and Information

A framework of critical thinking was employed throughout the deliberative process in recognition that this would help achieve more robust outcomes for the deliberation piece. The panel analysed engagement findings, studied the facts, debated ideas, checked biases and regularly critiqued their own work. The following tools were implemented in support of critical thinking:

• Collaboration: Working together with other members of the group enables individuals to be exposed to new thoughts and ideas.

• Majority consensus: Individual panel members accepted that their individual view might not always be upheld as decisions were made according to a majority ruling.

• Questioning assumptions: Facilitators used open-ended probing questions to ensure panel members questioned their assumptions and tried to think of alternative solutions where possible.

• Regular reflection: Decisions made at meetings were distributed to all panel members, providing them with time and opportunity for reflection. Decisions were brought back to the following meeting for further reflection and refinement as the project went along.

Panel members were presented with information sources at various intervals throughout the deliberative process. Table 2 outlines the information provided to participants and the point in the program at which the information was presented for discussion.

Table 2. Information provided to Community Panel members throughout the project

3.1 Community Vision

As part of the Frankston City 2040 Community Panel, panel members were asked to consider community feedback, listen to and discuss key information about Frankston City and review the existing Community Vision Statement. The group decided to make changes to the Vision Statement.

Previous Community Vision Statement:

Frankston City 2040 is the place on the bay to learn, live, work and play in a vibrant, safe and culturally inclusive community. Our City is clean, green and environmentally responsible.

Community Vision Statement:

Frankston City is a safe, inclusive, and caring community in which to live, work and play. Our vibrant coastal City is clean, leafy, environmentally responsible, well planned, accessible and innovative for a changing future.

We are proud, engaged and connected.

3.2 Community Aspirations and Priorities

As part of the Frankston City 2040 Community Panel, participants were asked to consider four Vision Themes, review community feedback and discuss key information about Frankston City, and review the aspiration statement for each theme and agree upon any changes. Following are aspiration statements for each of the four themes and explanatory notes to assist Council to understand the meaning behind key language or phrasing. These four themes are:

• Theme 1: Healthy and inclusive communities

• Theme 2: Natural environment

• Theme 3: Connected places and economy

• Theme 4: Council performance and leadership

Healthy and inclusive communities

Community Aspiration: Frankston City is a place for everyone to feel proud, safe, healthy and supported in wellness. All people are recognised, supported, respected and celebrated. Our green spaces, quality health services, social support, education and community groups are accessible and inclusive. We recognise and respect the heritage and history of our First Nations peoples.

Explanatory notes:

• Some felt singling out individual groups of people (First Nations peoples) might seem exclusive to other cultural groups. Whereas the majority of participants felt recognition of First Nations peoples was required.

• Some wondered if we needed to seek clarity on the naming of First Nations peoples given Frankston City’s location on Bunurong Land.

• Though the inclusion of green spaces is also within other themes, participants felt the strong connection between the enjoyment of green spaces and a person's wellbeing, which made it important to keep within this theme.

• The word ‘proud’ had some differences of opinions, some felt like it was an exclusive term for those with economic advantages, whereas others felt it helped to create a sense of belonging and pride in place and where you live.

• Safety and pride also included the cleanliness of Frankston City, which included being free from litter, graffiti and well maintained.

Natural environment

Community Aspiration: Frankston City is committed to balancing the enjoyment of the environment with robust and sustainable land management. The community is educated on how to care for the environment, and the protection of biodiversity and the health of natural spaces is promoted. Climate change is being actively addressed, and our integrated water systems are future proofed against the challenges of our coastal region. Waste management is transparent and innovative.

Explanatory notes:

• Highlight the risks of sea level rise and storm surges, and address actions needed for areas potentially inundated in the future.

• Ensure the statement prioritises environmental protection and land management.

• Emphasise creating new higher ground for environmental migration and avoid scenarios like Venice.

• Focus on making robust land use decisions and future-proofing against climate change.

• Address the need for re-thinking current practices including tree removal, and plant trees that can survive future conditions.

• Protect green spaces from over-development and re-green areas impacted by previous developments.

• Climate change is still seen as a threat to Frankston City.

Connected places and economy

Community Aspiration:

Frankston City is a thriving, prosperous, safe place, where people love to live, study, work and visit. Public spaces provide an extensive range of cultural, artistic and recreational pursuits. Frankston City nurtures and attracts innovation and investment and is known for its diverse educational and business opportunities.

It's well-connected, with a network of easy to access, progressive and resilient infrastructure.

Explanatory notes:

• Importance of convenience and easy access to essential locations.

• Need for all suburbs to be vital, with a focus on the significance of the business hub in the City.

• Need to address concerns about safety, as some people feel unsafe and prefer nearby areas like Mornington.

• Emphasis that Frankston draws people in, and while the focus needs to be on accessible and connected public spaces, it also needs to have thriving arts, culture and business precincts.

Council performance and leadership

Community Aspiration: Frankston City Council communicates honestly and transparently with our communities and advocates for people of all abilities and backgrounds. Council is trusted and well governed and uses its resources in an accountable and sustainable manner. Councillors and Council work as a team to prioritise the community's interest through programs of ongoing engagement.

Explanatory notes:

• Emphasis on the word “consistently” to emphasise the ongoing reliability in communication - “not just one off”.

• There is a need to improve how well Council represents and aligns with community interests.

• Concerns have been raised about whether Councillors effectively represent the community and behave appropriately.

• Clear and honest communication should be a priority. “It’s okay to make mistakes, just admit it, share it and move on.”

• Desire to see better respectful relationships between Councillors and Council Officers. Some noted the behaviours observed during live streamed Council Meetings.