Community Pitch winners announced

Published on 19 July 2022

Thirteen community-generated ideas have been funded in Council’s Annual Budget 2022-23 through the Community Pitch Program.

Mayor of Hobsons Bay, Councillor Peter Hemphill, congratulated the winners and thanked the community for getting behind the program.

“This year’s Community Pitch program was reimagined to give the community the opportunity to vote on the projects they wanted to see Council deliver,” said Cr Hemphill.

“Not only did these ideas come directly from the community but they were also given the tick of approval by the community.”

Voting for Community Pitch 2022/23 was open in March and April this year. In total, 675 people cast three votes each. All projects received more than 50 votes with the most popular project receiving close to 400 votes.

Successful community pitches 2022-23

• Toys to the rescue – reduced Hobsons Bay Toy Library membership fees in 2022/23 for families who have experienced financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Upcycle in style – a regular get together to learn how to repair and reuse clothing which may otherwise end up in landfill
• Circular coffee – encourages cafes and the community to utilise reusable cups
• Connecting Hobsons Bay residents safely online – digital literacy programs to support community confidence, skills and online safety, for example the basics of using digital devices and engaging with the internet
• Native plant giveaway – free locally native tube stock plants available for residents to plant in their own gardens. The plants will be provided at community planting days and events throughout the year to create habitat friendly gardens, assist with urban cooling, and education to the community on the importance of growing natives
• Native nature strips – an initiative to convert grassed nature strips to native 'habitat strips' through supplying information and locally indigenous plants to residents
• Growing community though propagating plants – deliver a structured education program to the community which could be included in the My Smart Garden series of events
• Weekend BBQ – opportunity to eat delicious food, meet new people and explore the city
• Diversity potluck – a community celebration to taste different foods and learn more about cultures while celebrating all the diversity that makes Hobsons Bay so amazing.
• Urban Harvest Hobsons Bay festivals of food - connect households through tips for growing their veggie garden, sharing produce and learning new cooking skills while celebrating Hobsons Bay's rich migrant history
• Hobsons Bay Volunteer Expo –showcase local volunteering and volunteering opportunities across Hobsons Bay
• Zero waste pledge – education and promotion campaign to encourage residents to utilise reusable options to reduce waste element
• End period poverty – similar to the reusable cloth nappy rebate from last year’s successful Community Pitch, Council will reimburse the cost of purchasing reusable sanitary products. Supporting women to purchase reusable sanitary products will reduce waste to landfill.

Ideas were received from community groups, residents, organisations and businesses from October 2021 to February 2022. In total, 114 ideas were received. Each pitch was reviewed and assessed by Council’s Community Engagement team and the relevant work area who would be  responsible for the project’s delivery.

Of these ideas, 68 were suitable to progress to the assessment stage and 13 were shortlisted for the community to vote on.

Park upgrades, large-scale infrastructure improvements and capital works projects were not accepted this year due to the $50,000 limit per project and Council’s robust Capital Works Program which includes an ambitious program of scheduled work for 2022/23, led by the Asset Management Strategy.

To read more about the winners, visit participate.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/community-pitch-202223