Community Needs Assessment - Hawkesbury City Council
Community Needs Assessment - Hawkesbury City Council
Community Needs Assessment - Hawkesbury City Council
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5 Stakeholder Consultations<br />
Consultations were conducted with the following:<br />
• <strong>City</strong> Planning Director, Manager, <strong>Community</strong> Partnerships, and Parks Manager, <strong>Hawkesbury</strong> <strong>Council</strong>;<br />
• Coordinator, North Richmond Neighbourhood Centre<br />
• Principal, North Richmond Primary School.<br />
(Note, attempts were made to interview the School Education Director for <strong>Hawkesbury</strong> as part of this<br />
study to clarify issues around capacity of the Colo High School and alternate secondary school locations,<br />
however this was not possible due to time constraints for completion of the study).<br />
A summary of the discussion and outcomes from the consultations is presented below.<br />
5.1 DIRECTOR OF CITY PLANNING, HAWKESBURY COUNCIL<br />
The Director indicated that:<br />
• Social Planning information is now largely built into <strong>Council</strong>'s <strong>Community</strong> Strategic Plan, including<br />
social justice principles<br />
• <strong>Council</strong> has a <strong>Community</strong> Planning Advisory Committee, while it does not meet currently, <strong>Council</strong> is<br />
seeking to reform the Committee with new Terms of Reference<br />
• Many of <strong>Council</strong>'s functions in relation to aged care have been delegated to Peppercorn Services;<br />
<strong>Council</strong> has identified that, with the ageing of the population, more services for older people will be<br />
needed – hence the residential aged care and related facilities at the site are welcomed<br />
• The Residential Land Strategy identifies that there is insufficient public transport especially in North<br />
Richmond, and acknowledges there is not much that can be done to ensure more public transport,<br />
other than to increase densities to achieve viability for public transport routes and operators<br />
• <strong>Council</strong> is currently developing an Open Space Strategy. <strong>Council</strong> would like to maximise connectivity<br />
between the release area and existing transport routes and urban areas. As such <strong>Council</strong> would like<br />
opportunities arising from the proposed development, such as those associated with Peel Park, the<br />
Redbank creek line, and linkages to the North Richmond town centre and Redbank Road to be<br />
maximised<br />
• The <strong>Council</strong> <strong>Community</strong> Surveys are conducted every two years. The 2011 survey has been<br />
conducted but is not available yet. The 'character of the <strong>Hawkesbury</strong>' is often referred to, which is<br />
sometimes assumed to mean a rural character, not dense development. Some residents identify that<br />
'they don't want to live in Kellyville/Rouse Hill' which <strong>Council</strong> assumes to equate with small blocks and<br />
large buildings. However some residents who live in North Richmond consider that they are living in<br />
a rural area, so it is all relative and dependent upon how you plan the open space. <strong>Council</strong> is keen to<br />
better understand how these „values‟ are represented.<br />
5.2 MANAGER, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, HAWKESBURY COUNCIL<br />
The Manager of <strong>Community</strong> Partnerships with <strong>Council</strong> noted that the adequacy of community facilities<br />
and services depends extensively on the local context, with the following detailed comments:<br />
• In relation to aged care, <strong>Council</strong> is keen to promote ageing in place<br />
• The North Richmond Neighbourhood Centre has 2 <strong>Community</strong> Development workers (funded by the<br />
Department of <strong>Community</strong> Services). This is considered a good space , providing both child care<br />
centre and youth services<br />
20 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS<br />
URBIS<br />
APPENDIX_O_COMMUNITY_NEEDS_ASSESSMENT