Build capacity
Council will work closely with community, stakeholders and staff to create a culture of genuine and relevant engagement, both within our organisation and the community.
We believe that people have the right to participate in decision-making and have their voice heard. Understanding our community’s aspirations and concerns helps us make informed decisions about the future of our region.
Our Commitment
We will guide and continuously improve community engagement processes to:
- Build trust and credibility in the process among participants.
- Enhance community participation in decision-making and ensure decision-makers are responsive to community concerns.
- Accurately represent the community’s role in decision-making.
- Ensure fair and equal access to the engagement process for all stakeholders.
- Advocate for the engagement process and honour commitments made to the community.
- Communicate engagement outcomes and how feedback was considered in a timely manner.
Levels of Engagement
We have adopted the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Spectrum of Participation to assist us in identifying the appropriate level of community engagement based on goals, timeframes, resources and levels of impact of decisions being made.
* The highest level of engagement in the spectrum, Empower, represents final decision-making being placed in the hands of the public. While this level of community engagement is important, it has limited application in local government where final decision-making rests with the Councillors who are elected by the community as their representative.
Levels of Influence
The level of influence stakeholders have on a decision is related to the project. Effective engagement requires aligning stakeholder expectations with the level of influence to foster trust in the process and to allow for meaningful participation.
The table below provides some examples of stakeholder expectations and the level of influence across the engagement levels.
Our objectives
Our objectives
Through all community engagement we will actively engage with and listen to our community through a variety of methods:
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Inform and involve
Council will create and promote inclusive opportunities for effective participation and collaboration for community members who live, work and play within PMHC, and ensure our communities are engaged and informed.
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Accountable and transparent
Council will show how community and stakeholders’ participation was used to inform and influence decision-making by closing the loop on the engagement outcomes.
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Continuous improvement
Council will implement a continuous improvement program, incorporating community and stakeholder input, to reflect best practice and the needs of the community.
