Policy Review - Draft Community Engagement Policy

The Community Engagement Policy outlines Council’s commitment to delivering effective and meaningful engagement to enhance the decision-making process that shapes our community - and enhances the direction and vision of Council.

The current Community Engagement Policy was adopted in 2016 and since that time community engagement practices have evolved. Community engagement is now recognised as an essential component of good governance and making robust, sustainable decisions. Community engagement forms part of the Integrated Planning and Reporting Guidelines for Local Government in NSW under the Local Government Act 1993 and the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021.

The Community Engagement Policy has been reviewed and the following changes have been proposed.

• The Policy now outlines the scope of engagement across Council operations including major projects, policy and strategy development, service planning, area improvement planning, site specific projects, activities on Council owned or managed land and private development proposals.
• The Policy now outlines some key considerations of engagement including timing and length of engagement, and how it may be shared in Council reports and websites.

Council is committed to community engagement and believe it is an essential component of robust, informed and sustainable decision making.

We have provided our Draft Community Engagement Policy to review and encourage you to ‘have your say’ on our engagement approach so we can continue to ensure community members are informed and have input into decisions which affect their lives, community and place.

A further report will be tabled at a future meeting of Council, detailing the submissions received from the public during the exhibition period

Have Your Say

Submissions can be made by

• reviewing the Draft Community Engagement Policy and completing the submission form below;
• emailing to council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au; or
• posting to:
  Chief Executive Officer
  Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
  PO Box 84
  Port Macquarie NSW 2444

All submissions must be received by close of business on Wednesday 20 April, 2022.