Planning Ahead

You might think of Council as the organisation responsible for those day-to-day activities in your neighbourhood like rubbish collection, pothole fixing, or lawn mowing. And you’re not wrong, those essential services are part of Council’s commitment to the community.

But what does Council do, beyond those day-to-day activities, to ensure Ballina Shire will thrive into the future?

OUR INTEGRATED PLANNING AND REPORTING FRAMEWORK

The Integrated Planning and Reporting (IPR) Framework encourages councils, the community and other organisations to work together to plan for the future in an efficient and collaborative manner. The IPR has these main components:

• Community Strategic Plan

• Delivery Program and Operational Plan (Combined Document)

• Resourcing Strategy

• Annual Report

• End of Term Report

We plan

Our Community Strategic Plan, Delivery Program and Operational Plan are key strategic documents.

The Community Strategic Plan (2017 – 2027) is deliberately broad in scope and sits above all other council plans and policies in the planning hierarchy. It identifies the community’s main priorities and aspirations for the future. It will be updated again in 2021 after the Council elections.

The Delivery Program and Operational Plan (2020 – 2024) outlines specific items, services or activities that will take place annually and over the next four years.

The Resourcing Strategy identifies the time, money, assets and people needed to carry out actions in the Delivery Program and Operational Plan, via the:

• Long Term Financial Plan

• Workforce Management Plan

• Asset Management Plans.

We consult

To track our progress and identify community priorities, Council completes a community survey every two years. A community survey was conducted in October this year, with the results to be published on Council's website in December.

So far results indicate that our community feels very strongly about long term planning and view it as fundamental to our operations.

We report

Council’s reporting tracks our progress and achievements.

The Quarterly Reviews are reported to the elected council in October, January, April and July. These review track the delivery of actions and key performance indicators from the Delivery Program and Operational Plan.

The Annual Report for the previous financial year outlines our progress implementing the Delivery Program and Operational Plan.

The End of Term Report is produced every four years and reports on Council’s progress in implementing the Community Strategic Plan.

You can view these documents at ballina.nsw.gov.au/ integrated-planning-and-reporting

MANAGING GROWTH AND CHANGE

Planning for future housing and employment in the Ballina Shire is guided by a series of plans including:

North Coast Regional Plan 2036 is the NSW Government’s plan for the Far North Coast. It sets out a vision for the region and identifies outcomes and actions relating to settlement and housing, the environment and employment.

Ballina Shire Local Growth Management Strategy (LGMS) is Council’s local strategic planning policy for residential, commercial and industrial land use activity in the Ballina Shire. The LGMS sets out how Council will manage growth over 20 years.

The Local Environmental Plans (LEPs) and the Development Control Plan (DCP) direct and guide the way in which development occurs. The LEPs and DCP set out the local ‘rules’ for development. That is, these plans identify types of development that can occur and how such development can be undertaken.

Place-Based Plans: Council has a program for the preparation of strategic plans at a local level throughout the shire. Local strategic plans are in place for Wardell, Lennox Head, Alstonville, Wollongbar and Ballina. These plans identify specific local characteristics of places in the shire and are developed with considerable input from communities.

The Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) sets ongoing, immediate (0 to 2 years), short (3 to 5 years), medium (5 to 10 years) and long-term (10 years +) timeframes to deliver strategic land use planning priorities. It provides context and direction for land use decision making in Ballina Shire.

FUNDING MUCH-NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE

Developers are required to provide and upgrade infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer pipes, pump stations, parks and open spaces, community facilities and car parking as part of their development. The nature and extent of the infrastructure depends on the type and scale of development.

Generally, developers provide infrastructure as part of their developments and also through the payment of contributions to Council. These payments are known as developer contributions or section 7.11 contributions and section 64 contributions.

Council collects developer contributions to fund significant infrastructure projects throughout the shire. Our developer contribution plans identify what infrastructure is required and the extent to which development is required to contribute to it.

Current items outlined in Council’s developer contribution plans include the River Street duplication, Ross Lane improvements, new roundabout at Hutley Drive and Byron Bay Road, plus future works at Tamarind Drive and the four laning of Bangalow Road, as well as new recreational facilities, and water and sewer upgrades.

Community participation is critical

Community consultation is key to all of our future planning, so much so that we have a plan for that too! Our Community Participation Plan (CPP) outlines engagement methods and timeframes for involving the community in planning decision making.

Public exhibition of documents is an important part of how Council engages with our community on planning decisions. Public exhibition involves making draft plans, strategies, policies or development applications (DAs) available for the community to view and comment on.

When comments on a draft plan or development application (DA) are provided to Council they are known as a formal submission. A submission outlines the support or concerns that an individual or group has relating to the draft plan or DA. Submissions are usually made in writing through a letter or email.

These submissions are reported to Council so that they are taken into account when decisions are made.

KEEN TO GET INVOLVED?

You can find our Community Participation Plan and tips on how to make a good submission at ballina.nsw.gov.au/making-a-submission

For more information on any of Council’s planning and reporting documents, visit ballina.nsw.gov.au/council-documents or phone us on 1300 864 444.