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

2. THE COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN
One of the problems identified with existing monitoring programs is that data collected at the local
level is not used to inform environmental reporting at higher levels - regional, state and national.
Some of the problems have been the use of different methodologies for data collection and
inconsistency in collection.
Councils should engage with their local Catchment Management Authority and other relevant
organisations in their area to come up with a system of monitoring, evaluation and reporting that
involves collaboration across the various levels (local/regional/state).
The new framework establishes a number of opportunities for councils to work with each other, and
with other groups and agencies in environmental management, monitoring and reporting. For
example, councils should consider participating in regional state of the environment-type reviews to
help inform the Community Strategic Plan in their local government area.
There is also opportunity to draw from a wider range of data, to form partnerships or data-sharing
arrangements for environmental monitoring across a region with shared environmental features.
An example of this approach is the 2007/08 Namoi Regional State of the Environment Report. The
Namoi region includes five local government areas. The purpose of the Regional State of the
Environment report is to provide relevant data and research, and assess environmental issues to
inform the development of long-term strategic plans and shorter term operational plans for councils
in that area.
The Namoi Regional State of the Environment reports aim to:
promote a big picture understanding of the environmental issues across the region
identify external influences and pressures impacting on the environment
provide clarification of the roles and responsibilities for particular environmental issues, and
the role that councils may play (advocate, service provider, regulator, or facilitator) in
responding to these
identify links to the NSW State Plan and Namoi CMA targets
to integrate with the Namoi Catchment Sustainability Plan
identify opportunities or appropriate responses
suggest processes to assess the effectiveness of responses and ensure an effective
continual improvement loop.
It is essential that councils include sufficient emphasis on environmental assessment to satisfy their
community that the environment is being effectively managed and protected.
Assessment example: Promoting Active Living
Many communities identify ‘healthy active communities’ as a key objective of their long-term plans –
but how does a community determine if its actions are actually having an effect
The Premier’s Council on Active Living (PCAL) has considered this issue and consulted with state
and local government stakeholders to develop a list of ten key areas that could be sampled. The list
is based on the understanding that the physical environment of an area has an effect on the
physical activity of its residents.
The indicators are comprehensive and it is not intended that councils should monitor everything on
the list. Councils may wish to choose the measures that best suit their situation, priorities and
resources. For example, one item from each of the ten key areas would provide a good collection of
evidence to indicate progress in promoting active living. As can be seen from the list, some
evidence will be quantitative – facts and figures from various sources, and some will be qualitative –
the way people feel about things.
Planning & Reporting Manual Page 52 of 115