Seven submissions were received from residents and community groups in relation to the plan, many calling for the plan to be more specific and for more community collaboration and inclusiveness.

Submissions were received from Andrew Farran, Women’s Health Grampians, the council’s early years co-ordinator Catherine Hurley, Landcare, former West Wimmera Shire mayor Annette Jones, Friends of Lake Wallace, and West Wimmera Advocate owner and editor Toni Domaschenz.

Ms Hurley spoke to the council at its special meeting on June 16, emphasising a need for a specific focus on early years services to be included in the council plan. She was the only person who lodged a submission to take the council’s offer to present at the meeting.

Ms Hurley said a strong early years’ program would encourage families to move to West Wimmera Shire and this fell within the council’s strategic objectives in terms of delivering quality human services.

She said including early years services in the council plan for the next four years would mean the plan could be a guide when developing a municipal early years’ plan.

In a message included in the amended council plan, available on the council's website, West Wimmera chief executive David Leahy said the future of the shire was “dependent on retaining population and business investment in new and existing business”.

“The wellbeing of the community and its residents was at the forefront of councillors’ thinking throughout the planning process,” Mr Leahy wrote. “This was evident across most categories of the discussion, whether it was a discussion about community facilities, tourism infrastructure, digital connectivity, the ageing population, or jobs and investment.

“The motivating factor behind all of these topics was maintaining or improving the total quality of life for the residents of West Wimmera.”