Regional teams
The Department of Planning and Community Development’s (DPCD) regional teams are the first point of contact for anyone wanting to know about or engage with DPCD programs in their area.
The teams are a part of the Victorian Government’s strategy to build strong, resilient communities, and encourage processes and systems which enable civic participation and decision-making. The three metropolitan and five non-metropolitan regional teams broker and facilitate partnerships for shared outcomes across Government, business and the community. They deliver program activities at a local level, provide access to information about government programs and services, and coordinate place-based investments.
Community Development
DPCD regional teams manage grants and deliver community programs in a way that is coordinated and ‘joins-up’ the different government departments. The teams also improve the government’s capacity to listen and respond to communities as their needs change over time.
The regional teams:
DPCD regional teams work and partner with a range of groups using a community development approach. They aim to deliver community strengthening initiatives that encourage civic participation, civic decision making, volunteering, local partnerships and engagement, and enable communities to develop the capacity to respond to their long term needs and challenges.
Regional Management Forums
The Regional Management Forums (RMFs) were established as part of ‘A Fairer Victoria’ [link to AFV] to support Government departments and local government authorities to work together more closely at a regional level.
The Regional Teams provide ongoing support for the operation of Regional Management Forums and assist in establishing strategic partnerships. The teams also coordinate responses on important issues which require joint DPCD involvement in planning and integrated action. This may include supporting cross-government project teams or working groups.
Regional Land Use Planning
The DPCD regional teams are responsible for land use planning in regional Victoria. This includes managing the regulatory framework and providing advice on planning policy, urban design and strategic planning, as well as information on land development.
DPCD’s Regional Policy team works with the regional teams to achieve strategic change and improvement to the sustainability of Victoria’s regions. It does this by working in partnership with other state government departments, local governments, infrastructure and service providers, and local communities to identify sustainable settlement and land use patterns which meet environmental, social and economic objectives.
The regional teams collaborate on a number of projects such as the Regional Strategic Planning Initiative which involves the development of integrated Regional Strategic Plans.
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