Community Engagement and Participation Plan

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Update: 26/03/2025

We'd like to thank the community for the time they have taken to provide feedback on the Community Engagement Strategy across two consultation periods. This feedback has been invaluable in developing the strategy and identify opportunities for improvement.


Background:

Under the Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework, councils in NSW are required to prepare a Community Engagement Strategy to support the development of all plans, policies, programs and key activities. Under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, councils in NSW are required to have a Public Participation Plan that outlines how decision-making occurs in relation to key planning matters.

Council's Community Engagement Strategy, for the first time, combines the Community Engagement Strategy with the Public Participation Plan to provide better clarity and transparency to the community in how and when we community.

Beyond the legislative requirement, Community Engagement is central to decision-making in local government and provides a range of benefits to both the community and council including sharing of knowledge, increased awareness, strengthened relationships, enhanced community capacity, better decision making and ultimately better outcomes for the community.

Council's approach to community engagement is driven by the following engagement principles:

  • Open, honest and transparent
  • Effective and ongoing partnerships
  • Inclusive and representative
  • Right to be informed
  • Timely
  • Plain language and easily accessible
  • Appropriate level of engagement
  • Consult with people impacted.


How we developed the strategy:

Between 2 September and 26 November 2024, Council sought feedback from our community in relation to current barriers to engaging with Council and when and how you'd like to be engaged.

Based on this information and best-practice engagement principles, Council drafted the Community Engagement Strategy. This was presented to Council in March 2025 for approval to place on public exhibition.

Between 21 March and 23 April 2025, Council sought feedback on the draft Community Engagement Strategy. Feedback from the community is now being considered and will be presented to Council along with a recommended final Community Engagement Strategy at the June Council meeting.




Update: 26/03/2025

We'd like to thank the community for the time they have taken to provide feedback on the Community Engagement Strategy across two consultation periods. This feedback has been invaluable in developing the strategy and identify opportunities for improvement.


Background:

Under the Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework, councils in NSW are required to prepare a Community Engagement Strategy to support the development of all plans, policies, programs and key activities. Under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, councils in NSW are required to have a Public Participation Plan that outlines how decision-making occurs in relation to key planning matters.

Council's Community Engagement Strategy, for the first time, combines the Community Engagement Strategy with the Public Participation Plan to provide better clarity and transparency to the community in how and when we community.

Beyond the legislative requirement, Community Engagement is central to decision-making in local government and provides a range of benefits to both the community and council including sharing of knowledge, increased awareness, strengthened relationships, enhanced community capacity, better decision making and ultimately better outcomes for the community.

Council's approach to community engagement is driven by the following engagement principles:

  • Open, honest and transparent
  • Effective and ongoing partnerships
  • Inclusive and representative
  • Right to be informed
  • Timely
  • Plain language and easily accessible
  • Appropriate level of engagement
  • Consult with people impacted.


How we developed the strategy:

Between 2 September and 26 November 2024, Council sought feedback from our community in relation to current barriers to engaging with Council and when and how you'd like to be engaged.

Based on this information and best-practice engagement principles, Council drafted the Community Engagement Strategy. This was presented to Council in March 2025 for approval to place on public exhibition.

Between 21 March and 23 April 2025, Council sought feedback on the draft Community Engagement Strategy. Feedback from the community is now being considered and will be presented to Council along with a recommended final Community Engagement Strategy at the June Council meeting.




Page last updated: 08 May 2025, 05:16 PM