FAQs

Community Engagement is an intentional process of working together to shape the decisions or actions of Council in relation to a problem, opportunity, or outcome.  

Under the Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework, all councils are required to prepare a Community Engagement Strategy to support development of all their plans, policies, programs and key activities.

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 also requires councils to have a Community Participation Plan that establishes standards for engagement and notification for planning matters, such as development applications, land use plans and strategies and for changes to local planning controls i.e. zoning.

For community, it allows you to have a say on matters that impact you and the future of the region. It also builds capacity and strengthens communities.

For Council, it ensures decisions reflect the aspirations of the community we represent. It also assists in solving complex problems and uncovers new ideas.

For projects, it brings more perspectives and expands options. It can also identify and help mitigate project risks.

The Community Engagement Strategy may include:

• guiding principles
• who we are engaging with
• agreed levels of engagement (and participation required from the community)
• timeframes and methods of engagement
• requirements under legislation (i.e public exhibition and notification requirements for planning matters)
• measurement and reporting
• ways the community can stay up to date
• actions that we can take to improve engagement.

The Local Government Act 1994 and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 set out minimum standards for community engagement and community participation.

Understanding the benefits of engagement, Council seeks to continually improve how we engage with the community. We’re seeking your input to ensure it meets the needs and is supported by the community.