Overview

What is the Community Engagement Strategy?

The Community Engagement Strategy is our guide for how Council involves the community in decisions that affect them. It makes sure we listen to different perspectives and include everyone's voice in our planning, policies, and services.

The Strategy has three main parts:

How does Council manage Community Engagement?

Council uses three key documents to guide community engagement:

1. Community Engagement Policy

• Sets out the main principles and values for engagement
• Explains why we involve the community in decisions

2. Community Engagement Strategy

• Describes how and when Council engages with the community
• Explains the specific steps and timeframes we follow
• Covers what we're required to do by law

3. Engagement Framework

• Based on guidelines from the Engagement Institute (previously known as the International Association for Public Participation)
• Guides the level and type of engagement we use for different projects
• Used by most government organisations

What's Changed in the New Strategy?

The 2023–2033 Strategy is being updated to the 2025–2035 Strategy because we need to reflect new practices and requirements. Also, all Council's in NSW are required to review their Community Engagement Strategy following the Local Government Elections. Here are the key changes:

Part A: How We Engage

• Better explanation of the Engagement Framework – A guide that shows different levels of community involvement (from "inform" all the way to "empower")
• Clear difference between what's required and what's optional – Some projects legally need community input, others we choose to ask for feedback
• New stakeholder section – Identifies specific groups in the community (including people with disabilities, young people, culturally diverse communities) and how we reach them
• Reference to IP&R planning – Shows how engagement happens at both strategic (big-picture) and operational (day-to-day) levels

Part B: Timing and Public Feedback

• Clearer explanation of public exhibition– What it means, when we do it, and when we might do things differently
• Updated timeframes – Changes to how long feedback periods last for planning decisions
• Legal compliance updates – Updated to match current government requirements

Part C: Development Notifications

• Updated notification categories – Changes to how people are told about different types of building and planning applications

How was community feedback sought?

The draft Community Engagement Strategy 2025-2035 was on public exhibition from Wednesday 19 November 2025 until Monday 19 January 2026.

Feedback has closed, and the final Community Engagement Strategy 2026-2036 will be updated on our website shortly.

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