MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire plans to resurface and rehabilitate more than 200,000 square metres of road, clean 500km of beaches, and complete new social housing as part of its Annual Action Plan for 2026-27.
At the 29 September council meeting, councillors voted unanimously to adopt the plan, which outlines the key actions the shire intends to deliver over the coming financial year.
The annual plan translates the priorities set out in the shire’s 2025-29 Council Plan into specific actions, targets, and performance measures.
The adopted plan includes quarterly progress reports following feedback from community engagement.
Cr Paul Pingiaro said this is where the council plan moves from strategy to delivery.
“The annual plan tells us what we intend to actually do this year, how we’ll measure it, and how the community will be able to see whether we’re delivering,” said Pingiaro.
The plan includes natural environment targets of more than 900 hectares of bushland management works, 2,500 trees planted, and 500km of beaches cleaned.
The shire also intends to inspect 15,000 drainage pits quarterly and clean them as necessary, as well as divert 50 per cent of kerbside waste from landfill.
Infrastructure works will include more than 200,000 square metres of rehabilitated and/or resurfaced roads, with a $27m capital works asset renewal expenditure target.
Council plans to deliver several planning scheme amendments, finalise a number of strategies, and complete new social housing dwellings for women and children.
Pingiaro said he welcomes the focus on governance and organisational performance.
“This year includes developing the good governance and decision-making framework, further implementation of our enterprise risk management framework, and reviewing operational risks and finalising the strategic risk register,” said Pingiaro.
“There are also some meaningful community-facing actions here: social housing for women and children, an emergency relief hub, light library initiatives, volunteering programmes, and initiatives aimed at supporting our local community.”
Pingiaro said transparency would be important in determining the value of the plan.
“The value of this document will ultimately be determined not by how many actions we adopt tonight but how transparently we report them when things are progressing well, when something has changed, and when something’s not going to plan,” said Pingiaro.
Cr David Gill said the quarterly reports will help people understand the details of what council does and be able to measure it by what they see.
“[The plan] can change throughout the year; they’re not particularly meant to, but they can change because different priorities will emerge, or unforeseen actions become necessary,” said Gill.
You can find out more information regarding the annual plan and upcoming council projects at: mornpen.vic.gov.au.
First published in the Mornington News – 13 October 2026
