The Horsham Rural Ratepayers and Residents group was formed in April and had its first public meeting on Sunday.

The meeting at Horsham's Sunnyside Bowling Club was attended by about 60 people.

No Horsham Rural City councillors or officers were present at the meeting.

The meeting was called after the council placed its draft Wimmera River and Central Activity District master plan (or the city to river plan), and Open Space Strategy on public exhibition.

User groups later expressed concerns they might have to relocate if the city to river plan was approved in its current form.

President Di Bell said the aim of the meeting was to gauge how residents would like to be represented and gathering information.

Other committee members are former Horsham councillor Kevin Dellar, Richard May, Sue Alt, Wendy Brand, Rodney Clarke and Peter Jackman.

Mrs Bell said other people had signalled their interest in joining the committee.

The group has registered with Ratepayers Victoria.

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Three motions were moved and passed at the meeting.

The first was raised by Robert Wilson.

Mr Wilson recommended the group advocate for the public exhibition date of the draft city to river reports, and draft open space strategy, to be extended by 90 days.

The second motion was raised by Sue Exell.

She recommended the ratepayers group initiate four public forums, and invite councillors and council officers, to answer questions about the draft reports.

The forums would address the Horsham showgrounds; Horsham City Oval; the Wimmera River precinct; and the Horsham Central Activity District.

The final motion recommended all council infrastructure project plans have a minimum public exhibition period of 60 to 90 days.

All motions were passed unanimously.

Mrs Bell said the motion outcomes would be sent to all Horsham councillors and the council's chief executive Sunil Bhalla.

Councillor David Grimble plans to raise a notice of motion at the council's July meeting on Monday night.

Cr Grimble's notice of motion recommends council extend the public exhibition and public submission period of the draft city to river reports, and the draft open space strategy plan to August 30.

Submissions to the council's draft Open Space Strategy are due to close on July 24.

Mrs Bell encouraged people to submit ideas to the group before its next public meeting.

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