Successful C4MP member strategy workshop

The Committee for Mornington Peninsula’s first member workshop was held last week and attended by 15 or our 40-plus financial members at this time.  Rosebud’s Blue Mini café provided an excellent meeting venue and hospitality (thank you Tracey).

The shared passion for the Mornington Peninsula, great respect for and embrace of our natural environment and treasured landscapes and belief in the potential of the region to provide meaningful employment and sustainable business opportunities, was evident throughout the morning. 

The statistical profile of the Mornington Peninsula, the challenging ‘reality’ many citizens face and social challenges in number of communities in our region motivated all present in the shared belief that we can do better as a region for all of our residents.

The roundtable on C4MP strategy and priorities produced insightful contributions and a clear consensus on how the Committee can best focus its energies, resources and ‘voice’. 
We are approaching the start of our first year of existence in a few short weeks, and greatly valued the input and guidance of our members at this formative stage.

The workshop revisited the ‘strategic policy’ pillars identified at the pre-Christmas forum.  These are:

• Availability of suitably-zoned land to support sustainable investment, industry/business growth and employment generation;
• Securing ‘regional’ designation and access to the benefits enjoyed by similar communities;
• Improving transport linkage and services that support economic activity and employment; and
• Enhancing access to training and education opportunities that can support sustainable local jobs, Peninsula-based careers and the local economy

There was unanimous support for including a 5th pillar addressing the perceived lack of support and respect for the business community and employers amongst local authorities, policy makers and opinion-leaders.  It was agreed that an additional ‘strategic policy’ pillar be developed with the aim of working for a more supportive ‘business and investment eco-system’ in the region. namely:  

• Nurturing a ‘more business-friendly’ environment supportive of investment and job creation

The Committee of Management is compiling the input and consensus outcomes from the member workshop into a coherent strategy document and operating plan that will guide C4MP initiatives and activities for the coming year, linked to available funding.
The draft strategy and proposed operating plan will be shared with members in the coming weeks.