Integrated Planning and Reporting Manual - Division of Local ...

2. THE COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN
Increasing level of public impact
Inform Consult Involve Collaborate Empower
Public
Participation
Goal
To provide the
public with
balanced and
objective
information to
help them
understand a
problem,
alternatives,
opportunities
and/or solutions
These levels were
reflected in previous
legislative
requirements for
developing the
Management Plan
To obtain
public
feedback on
alternatives
and/or
decisions
To work
directly with
the public
throughout the
process to
ensure that
public
concerns and
aspirations are
consistently
understood
and considered
Councils should aim to
achieve at least this level
in their new Community
Strategic Planning
Process
To partner with
the public in
each aspect of
the decision
including the
development of
alternatives and
identification of
the preferred
solution
To place final
decisionmaking
in the
hands of the
public
This is the preferred
level, with structures
established for ongoing
engagement
As the diagram shows, the previous level of participation required for the annual Management Plan
could be described as ‘informing’ and ‘consulting’. Each council was required by the Act to place a
copy of the draft plan on public exhibition and to consider comments from the public before adopting
the plan. Some councils voluntarily undertook a higher level of consultation with their communities.
The new requirements call for a more comprehensive approach, as they will result in the
development of long-term plans that will significantly affect all members of the community. The
framework is built on the principle that all members of the community have a right, and a
responsibility, to contribute to their community’s future.
These plans will span at least 10 years - well beyond the Council term of office – so it is expected
that people in the community will take some ownership of them and contribute to their delivery in
some way. This is why the term ‘engagement’ has been used in the new legislation, rather than
‘consultation’.
To effectively engage the community, councils should be aiming for at least the ‘involvement’ level,
shown in the diagram above, where they are actively working with the community to ensure its
concerns and ideas are reflected in the Community Strategic Plan and providing feedback as to how
their input influenced the final document.
Planning & Reporting Manual Page 37 of 115