Update

At the July meeting of Council the revised and updated Community Engagement Strategy was adopted. The Community Engagement Strategy 2023 – 2033 is now available on the Council’s Plans and Strategies page. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the update.

Our Strategy

At the July meeting of Council the revised and updated Community Engagement Strategy was adopted. The Community Engagement Strategy 2023 – 2033 is now available on the Council’s Plans and Strategies page. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the update.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 change. Councils have a vital role to play in opening opportunities for community members to be involved in strategic planning processes, service delivery and community life.

Council is required to have a Community Engagement Strategy. Our first Community Engagement Strategy was adopted by Council in 2018. It's now time to update it and we're seeking your input.

The Georges River Community Engagement Strategy 2022-2032 has been revised with the following updates:

• Community profile data from the 2021 Census,
• Planning and development notifications and commitments,
• And the inclusion of Council's Child Safe Organisation commitment, specifically the National Principle 2: 'Children and young people are informed about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously'.

Note: The exhibited draft Community Engagement Strategy 2022-2032 was updated and re-posted on 28 April 2023 to include proposed changes that were inadvertently omitted from the final draft exhibition document.

The only significant change was to include the following additional site notification requirements for Planning Proposals (on page 29 of the document):

A site notice will be placed on the site the subject of a Planning Proposal following receipt of a Gateway Determination for information purposes only. The site notice will include a QR code to link back to Council’s website containing further information on the Planning Proposal.

The only other (minor) changes made include updating some non-functioning links within the document.

The exhibition period has been extended to 26 May 2023 to ensure the full 28 day exhibition period is available for public comment on the amended document.

Findings from the 2023 Community Wellbeing and Satisfaction Survey will also be applied and incorporated ready for the July Council Meeting.

How to be involved

If you would like to provide feedback or comments on the Strategy, we encourage you to:

	Complete our online feedback form. Use the links below to submit your online feedback, or
	Return a hard copy submission.

If you are returning a hard copy submission, please quote SF23/1375 Public Submission - Community Engagement Strategy 2023 at the beginning of your submission and return:

	In person to Georges River Council Civic Centre or Libraries
	Via email: mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au
	Via post: PO Box 205, Hurstville BC NSW 1481

Do you need assistance reading and accessing this page?

For a free interpreter call us via the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450

If you have a hearing or speech impairment, please contact the National Relay Service:

• Voice Relay number: 1300 555 727
• TTY number: 133 677