Community Engagement Strategy

UPDATE - APRIL 2023

At the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Wednesday 19 April 2023, Council adopted the Community Engagement Strategy. The report can be viewed in the agenda of the meeting.

UPDATE - MARCH 2023

This item was deferred at the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Wednesday 15 March 2023. The following motion can be viewed in the minutes of the meeting.

MOTION moved by the Administrator 

THAT the matter be deferred and the General Manager report to the April 2023 Ordinary Meeting of Council on the legality of making Council files more accessible to residents and less reliant on GIPA requirements.

Wingecarribee Shire Council's draft Community Engagement Strategy and draft Community Engagement Policy are now on public exhibition and we'd like to hear your thoughts.

Community engagement is at the heart of local government. It helps communities to be active participants in shaping their own future and play a part in positive changes. 

Council's Community Engagement Strategy outlines the methodology Council will adopt when preparing to engage with the community and assist residents and other Council stakeholders to understand how and when Council will engage on issues that affect their future.

At Council's meeting held on 21 September 2022, Council endorsed a phased approach to the review of the Community Engagement Strategy and Community Strategic Plan.

As required in Phase 1 Council's Community Engagement Strategy has been reviewed and a draft refreshed Community Engagement Strategy has now been prepared. The draft Strategy has been developed while taking the following into consideration:

• assessment of the existing documents against legislative requirements
• a desk top review of best practice
• consultation with external stakeholders via a series of focus groups and surveys
• consulting with internal stakeholders via meetings and a strategic workshop

Based on this, a recommendations report for the Community Engagement Strategy was prepared. Council's draft Community Engagement Strategy has been updated to reflect the recommendations. 

A review of Council's Community Engagement Policy has also been undertaken and the draft revised Community Engagement Policy has been updated to reflect the principles and objectives of the draft Strategy.

Both the draft Strategy and draft Policy will be on public exhibition for an extended period of time from 16 December 2022 to 19 February 2023 (65 days).

On 14 December 2022, Council resolved

THAT:

1. Council notes recommendations report for the community engagement strategy.
2. The draft ‘Refreshed’ Community Engagement Strategy be endorsed for public exhibition for 42 days from 16 December 2022 to 27 January 2023, with the following amendment 'Point 9 on Page 94 of the Integrated Planning and Reporting Recommendations Report Part 1 be amended to read as follows 'Remove the need to log-in or sign up when participating in online consultation surveys'.
3. The draft revised Community Engagement Policy be endorsed for public exhibition for 42 days from 16 December 2022 to 27 January 2023.

Have your say by Sunday 19 February 2023.

• The draft Community Engagement Strategy and the draft Community Engagement Policy can be viewed online or in printed format at Council libraries.
• To make a submission, complete an online form, email mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au or write to Wingecarribee Shire Council, PO Box 141, Moss Vale 2577
• All submissions must be received by Sunday 19 February 2023.
• Ask a question or contact the Community Engagement Team by email mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au or on 02 4868 0888.