The Community Vision looks 10 years ahead to outline the social, economic, cultural, and environmental aspirations for the future of the municipality.

Council must develop, maintain, and review a Community Vision with its community using deliberative engagement practices.

The Council Plan outlines the strategic agenda for Council during its term, including the steps it will take to implement the Community Vision.

Council must prepare and adopt a Council Plan for a period of at least the next 4 financial years after a general election.

The Council Plan must include:

- strategic direction

- strategic objectives for achieving the direction

- strategies for achieving the objectives (for at least 4 years)

- strategic indicators for monitoring achievement

- description of initiatives and priorities for services, infrastructure and amenity.

The Financial Plan defines the broad long-term fiscal boundaries for the Council Plan, Asset Plan, other subordinate policies and strategies and budget processes.

Council must develop, adopt, and keep in force a Financial Plan with an outlook of at least 10 years. It is to be updated on a ‘rolling’ basis to maintain currency.

The Financial Plan must:

- describe the financial resources required to give effect to the Council Plan and other strategic plans of Council

- provide information about decisions and assumptions on which it is based

- outline any other resource requirements considered appropriate or contained in the regulations.

The Budget outlines how resources will be allocated across initiatives, programs, services, and capital works, as well as financing and debt redemption/servicing. It also provides a comprehensive outline of all income to be derived from rates, fees and charges, grants, and other revenue.

Council must prepare and adopt a budget for each financial year and the subsequent 3 financial years. It is to be a ‘rolling’ Budget with an outlook of at least 4 years.

The Budget must:

- give effect to the Council Plan

- contain financial statements in the form required by the regulations (and accounting standards)

- provide a general description of services and initiatives to be funded

- identify major initiatives from the Council Plan that will be priorities for each financial year

- for services funded in the budget, the prescribed indicators, and measures of service performance

- total rate income and information on differential or fixed components of rates

- a statement on whether Council intends to apply for an increase or variation to the rate cap.