As Wollondilly Shire Council seeks to fu…
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As Wollondilly Shire Council seeks to further engage with the community as part of its decision-making processes, Council is reviewing its Community Engagement Strategy for the 2024-2028 term and has now endorsed the draft Strategy for Public Exhibition.
First developed in 2022, the Community Engagement Strategy is a key element in the Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework and is informed by legislative requirements, best practice examples and local community feedback.
Council’s Annual Community Survey in 2024 revealed that perception of Council’s efforts to involve and consult with the community has improved, with satisfaction increasing by 5% from 56% in 2023 to 61% in 2024. These results suggest that the implementation of the Strategy is creating positive outcomes and is worth investing in to achieve continued improvement.
Mayor Matt Gould noted, “At Wollondilly Shire Council we are committed to continuing to work together with the community to shape the decisions we make.”
“Meaningful input from our community plays an important part in strengthening our projects, plans and programs, from master planning our recreational spaces to guiding the strategic direction for the future of the Shire.”
“When we make decisions as a Council it is important to consider different perspectives and listen to those with lived experience.”
A substantial amount has been achieved already through the 2022 Community Engagement Strategy and related Action Plan; including significantly increased registrations on Your Say Wollondilly, a stronger focus on accessibility and inclusion, and offering ongoing training for staff to improve their community engagement skills.
Some of the areas for continued or renewed focus include: continuing to review the Your Say Wollondilly website to make sure it is user friendly, strengthening follow up with participants to share outcomes, increasing opportunities for advisory groups to provide insights and developing and maintaining connections with specific community groups.
In addition to the useful information received during the previous consultation on the Community Engagement Strategy, Council regularly receives feedback about community engagement which has been taken into consideration when reviewing the document.
The Public Exhibition process will provide another opportunity for community members to share their thoughts about Council’s approach to community engagement. The Strategy will be on the Your Say Wollondilly platform for feedback soon.