Special Rate Variation Community Engagement Report - Shoalhaven City Council

Key Recommendations
The research has found that the key to increasing resident’s support for paying higher rates is
through better communication and stronger engagement with the community.
It is recommended that:
• Council strategies for the delivery of financial savings and more efficient and targeted
services need to be communicated effectively in order to reduce misconceptions in the
Shoalhaven community.
• Council needs to communicate its financial position, the reasons behind it (e.g. State
Government cost shifting, ageing infrastructure etc.) and its processes for allocating
works funding effectively.
• Council should create opportunities for the community to be involved in the decision
making process.
• Council should show that it understands the community’s priorities and build
strategies to ensure that money is spent effectively to meet these priorities.
• Council should communicate its management methods more effectively.
• Residents should be made aware how higher rates would provide Council with
opportunities to build more inclusive community facilities.
• Residents should be made aware how higher rates create financial sustainability for
Council and opportunities for management to implement its strategic objectives.
• Council should communicate the concepts of Council’s Responsibilities and
Shoalhaven’s Vision as core values for the City moving forward.
• Further research is needed to identify effective communication strategies that meet the
community expectations and improve dialog and mutual understanding between
Shoalhaven City Council and the Shoalhaven community.
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