Draft Community Engagement Strategy 2022 - 2025

Community Engagement Strategy OUR PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY

Three Mobs, One River artwork by Frances Belle Parker, Joe Walker, Deborah Taylor

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Clarence Valley Council

Acknowledgement of Country Clarence Valley Council acknowledges the Bundjalung, Gumbaynggirr and Yaegl Peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we live and work. We honour our First Nations people’s culture and connection to land, sea and community.

We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Community Engagement Strategy

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CONTENTS

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Clarence Valley Council

Acknowledgement of Country

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What is community engagement?

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How Council makes decisions

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Community Engagement Principles

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Key objectives of our Community Engagement Strategy

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Roles and responsibilities

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Stakeholders

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About the Clarence

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How we engage

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Community Engagement Tool

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Methods of Engagement

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When we engage

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Feedback

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Measuring Success

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MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR On behalf of your new, recently elected team of Councillors I am pleased to introduce this draft Community Engagement Strategy for widest possible consultation with the Clarence community.

Community Engagement is about involving the community in decision making. All Councils are required to prepare a Community Engagement Strategy (CES). Your Council’s CES supports the development of all plans, policies, programs and key activities. This strategy and its intended activities are exhibited and endorsed by the Council. Community engagement allows Council to make informed and sustainable decisions that will have community ‘buyin’ and support.

The primary purpose of the CES is to provide the framework for a consistent and best practice approach to engaging with the community across all Clarence Valley Council (CVC) area and functions.

The policy will assist Council to be open, transparent and accountable, and to make decisions in the best interest of the public. The policy is intended to strengthen the trust between Council and the community and build confidence in Council’s ability to plan and make decisions that will respond to the present and future needs of all constituents of the Local Government Area.

Clearly, the traditional local government approach of “top down” informing and consultation goes only part way to genuine commitment to community participation and engagement.

CVC will strive to ensure fairness in the distribution of resources; rights are recognised and promoted; people have fairer access to the economic resources and services essential to meet their basic needs and to improve their quality of life; and people have better opportunities to become informed and involved especially through use of technology.

Engagement is an important part of the democratic system under which Council operates. The CES outlines the commitment, principles, and engagement framework under which opportunities will be made available for the community to contribute to CVC’s decision-making process. Council is committed to involving the community in decisions which affect them and will seek broad informed agreement and best possible solutions for Council and the community.

Councillors encourage your input and consideration of the Draft CES.

Ian Tiley Mayor Ian Tilley

Community Engagement Strategy

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What is community engagement?

Community Engagement is about involving the community in decision making.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO: • •

Pro-actively seeks out community values, concerns and aspirations Incorporating those values, concerns and aspirations into a decisionmaking process

All Councils are required to prepare a Community Engagement Strategy (CES). Our CES supports the development of all our plans, policies, programs and key activities. Our engagement strategy and activities are exhibited and endorsed by the Council. Community engagement allows us to make informed and sustainable decisions that will have community buy-in and support.

The creation of our Community Strategic Plan, ‘The Clarence 2032’ has been driven by effective community engagement. We are committed to continuous improvement and ensuring our engagement creates accurate and relevant Council decisions.

As an Elected Body and Organisation, we work together with the community to achieve common goals through genuine relationships built on trust, goodwill and respect. While it does not replace the final decision-making power of the elected members of the Council, community engagement is considered invaluable in its ability to inform the Clarence Valley Council decision-making process, ensuring that the final decisions made by the Council are equitable, sustainable, and well-informed.

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Clarence Valley Council

How Council makes decisions COMMUNITY VIEWS What does the community think? Have we engaged appropriately?

STRATEGIC DIRECTION Does the decision fit in with our Community Strategic Plan?

COSTS How does this fit in with our Long Term Financial Plan? Have we planned for this in the budget?

How are the whole of life costs managed?

RISKS What are the risks? How does it fit with our risk tolerance?

Community Engagement Strategy

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Clarence River at Maclean

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Clarence Valley Council

Community Engagement Principles Our community engagement will be a guiding light for Council’s operations including corporate, strategic land use, financial planning, and Council’s day to day business activities.

Council welcomes our community and stakeholders to participate in engagement activities. Our engagement activities and events will be guided by the following set of principles: • • • • • • • • •

Make the intent of our engagement clear and relevant.

Define the timetable and how information gathered will be used.

Use consultation methods that are community focused.

Provide information that is easy to understand and accessible to all people.

Be respectful and engaging in an ethical way so everyone has a say on important matters.

Value input and recognise that participants have different views and needs.

Evaluate our actions to improve the process.

Report back to our community how their input was considered, and how it influenced the final outcome.

Advocate on behalf of the community when it is required.

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Key objectives of our Community Engagement Strategy • • • •

•

• • •

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To provide opportunities for the community to contribute to the decisionmaking process.

To build new relationships and improve relations with the community.

To build on the capacity of the community on a specific theme or issue to increase knowledge or change behaviour.

The way we engage is based on four key principles as defined by The NSW Government’s Social Justice Directions Statement of equity, access, participation and rights.

Equity - There should be fairness in decision making, prioritising and allocation of resources, particularly for those in need. Everyone should have a fair opportunity to participate in the future of the community. The planning process should take particular care to involve and protect the interests of people in vulnerable circumstances Access - All people should have fair access to services, resources, and opportunities to improve their quality of life Participation - Everyone should have the maximum opportunity to genuinely participate in decisions which effect their lives.

Rights - Equal rights should be established and promoted, with opportunities provided for people from diverse linguistic, cultural, and religious backgrounds to participate in community life.

Clarence Valley Council

INFORM DECISION MAKING

THE ENGAGEMENT TRIANGLE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY

Community Engagement Strategy

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Roles and responsibilities

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Clarence Valley Council

Mayor The Mayor is to: • Act as the spokesperson for the council to promote engagement on key strategic plans including developing the CSP. • Together with the General Manager, ensure adequate opportunities and mechanisms for engagement between council and the local community.

• Promote partnerships between council and key stakeholders.

Mayor and Councillors Elected representatives are to: • Promote engagement on key strategic plans including supporting and participating in community engagement for the development of the CSP. • Participate in the development of IP&R component documents, including the CSP. • As members of the elected body, endorse the CSP on behalf of the community and approve the remaining component IP&R documents.

General Manager General Manager is to: • Engage the community in relation to operational activities.

• Oversee preparation of the CES and IP&R component documents and endorsement by the elected council.

• Ensure that community members are given enough information to participate in the IP&R process in a meaningful way.

Staff Council staff are to: • Work with and support the General Manager in the development of the strategy and plans to engage the community.

• Implement the engagement strategy and provide timely advice to the general manager on community views.

Community Engagement Strategy

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Stakeholders Who are our community?

WHO ARE OUR COMMUNITY?

general public, families, people with disability first nations people and visitors

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Clarence Valley Council

councillors, council staff, council agencies, services and committees

small business, large business, industry, service providers and the media

community organisations, committees, groups and services

schools, education and training institutions and facilities

The Gorge

Community Engagement Strategy

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About the Clarence Located in the Northern Rivers region in NSW, the Clarence Valley covers an area of 10,441 square kilometres. Our major centres are Grafton, Maclean and Yamba.

TOTAL PEOPLE (Usual residence)

25,140

Males

25,530

Females

3,214

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population

45,574 36,048

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Australian citizens

EMPLOYMENT RATE 17,558 CV residents employed, 54% full-time

GROSS REGIONAL PRODUCT 2.34 Billion

LOCAL JOBS 18,222

Eligible voters (citizens aged 18+)

42,364

Population over 15

17,558

Employed Population

191

Overseas visitors (enumerated)

Clarence Valley Council

LARGEST INDUSTRY

(by employment) Health Care and Social Assistance

VISITOR NIGHTS & DAY VISITORS 2,692,699**

POPULATION 51,730

MEDIAN AGE 49yrs

MAJOR URBAN CENTRES

GRAFTON MACLEAN YAMBA

TOWNS & VILLAGES 60

DENSITY 4.95

LOCAL BUSINESSES 3,997

BRIDGES 283

ROADS 2,068km

NATIONAL PARKS, STATE FOREST & RESERVES 2,262km2

GEOGRAPHY 100kms coastline 4 coastal lagoons 8 rivers 36 beaches Statistics sourced from ProfileID (2016 Census) *NIEIR 2020 **ProfileID (2019-20)

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Engagement: how we engage Clarence Valley Council is committed to delivering community engagement activities in line with the IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum (www.iap2.org.au) and the NSW Government’s Social Justice Principles.

IPA2 FIVE DIFFERENT STAGES

GOAL

INFORM

One-way communication to provide balanced and objective information to assist understanding about something that is going to happen or has already happened

Two-way communications designed to obtain feedback on ideas, alternatives and proposals to inform our decision making

We will share information about a decision or direction

We will explore options, gain feedback and an understanding of your concerns and preferences

Listen

Contribute

PROMISE TO THE COMMUNITY

ROLE OF STAKEHOLDER/ COMMUNITY

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Clarence Valley Council

CONSULT

The Public Participation Spectrum developed by IPA2 identifies five stages of consultation relative to the level of impact the community should have on decision making. The stages are:

INVOLVE

COLLABORATE

EMPOWER

Participatory process designed to help identify issues and views to ensure that public concerns and aspiration are consistently understood and considered

Working together to develop an understanding of all issues and interests to work out alternatives and identify preferred solutions for joint decision making

To place final decision making in the hands of the community

We will involve you in the process so your ideas, concerns, and aspirations are reflected in the alternatives developed or the final decision

We will collaborate with you so your advice, innovation and recommendations are included in the final decision that we make together

We will implement what you decide

Participate

Partner

Lead

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Community Engagement Tool Our community engagement plans are based on the outcome of our Community Engagement Tool.

PLAN

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ACT

DO

CHECK

WE PLAN – Identify and analyse the issue to be addressed, gather relevant data and develop a community engagement plan.

WE DO - Implement/test actions and solutions from the community engagement plan.

WE CHECK - Analyse the results against the expectations, to assess whether the engagement worked. If not, go back to planning and if it has then Act. WE ACT - Document the results, inform others and make recommendations.

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Clarence Valley Council

Jacaranda Festival, Market Square, Grafton

Community Engagement Strategy

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Methods of Engagement Clarence Valley Council has a dedicated Community Engagement Team as part of the Culture, Community and Industry Section within the Corporate and Governance Division. The Community Engagement Team provides the interface between the community and the Council, the team is structured in such a way that it has a dedicated community project officers that are focused on a range of community sectors in order to ensure that Council is reaching the widest possible audience across our community.

Stage of Participation Inform

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Clarence Valley Council

Tools

Description

Customer Service Centre

Council’s administration offices in Grafton and Maclean provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ for Council services using customer service, visual displays, and printed materials for Council related business. Clarence Valley Council’s website is the Council’s primary communication tool. The website is a comprehensive source of information for all Council services and programs. The website is constantly being updated and improved to support the community needs.

Social media

Council utilises social media platforms to deliver Council related news or to share community initiatives. These include: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube; Instagram and Linkedin.

Media Releases

Regular media releases ensure Council provides reliable, timely and accurate information to all media servicing the Clarence Valley Council Local Government Area, including print and broadcast.

Council community events

Council-hosted events which provide opportunities for Councillors and staff to provide information to the community.

Council also strongly supports and participates in other community events.

Publications/ information material

Clarence Valley Council publications about Council specific programs, services and initiatives are a valuable source of information.

Advertising & Features

Service and facility areas relevant to the audience.

Stage of Participation Inform

Consult & involve

Collaborate & empower

Tools

Description

Presentation/ Public Speaking

Councillors and staff speak at relevant meetings, radio or events such as community events.

Community Notice Boards

At Council service points and facilities areas relevant to the audience.

Site Specific Signage

Erected temporarily or permanently to inform the public of the project and relevant project details.

Newsletters

As required.

Community Forums

These provide an opportunity for members of the community to attend a structured two-way information session hosted by Council, usually about specific projects and topics.

Online engagement site:

Council utilises an online engagement platform to coordinate a central point for consultations and public exhibitions of initiatives, policies and projects. www.clarenceconversations.com.au

Public exhibitions and submissions

Required by legislation for certain types of issues, items on exhibition and development applications are open to submissions from the public. The information is made available for the public to comment on within a certain time frame, while informing citizens how they can make their submissions/comments to Council.

Site Meeting/ Tour

Interaction at specific locations, usually facilitated by Council for invited participants.

Briefings

Inform relevant community groups that they may request a briefing with a Councillor/s or Council staff to discuss a particular issue.

Community drop-ins/stalls

Councillors and Council officers are available at a nominated venue and for a specific period of time, encouraging members of the community to attend and discuss topics.

Surveys

Target audience surveys should be integrated with broader consultation for larger projects, using independent market research companies or survey specialists where possible.

Advisory Committees

Formal consultation between Councillors and Council staff with members of Council Committees, Local Area Committees or other groups with expertise in particular areas. Engagement will be governed by the groups’ terms of reference to seek feedback on plans and proposals.

Meetings by invitation

Community leaders, stakeholders and representatives meet with Councillors and Council staff for discussion, debate and exchange of views on a specific issue.

Large Group/ Stakeholder Collaboration

As forums to address a strategic issue or plan, these collaborations bring together Councillors, Council staff, stakeholder groups and individuals with relevant expertise and knowledge to formulate a response.

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Engagement :when we engage When

Maintenance and renewal capital works

Inform

Council Plans and Strategies

Consult

Council’s key long-term plans Community Strategic Plan Delivery Program Community Engagement Strategy Local Strategic Planning Statement Land Use Strategy Council’s Annual Operational Plan and Budget

Council’s other key policies

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Level

Clarence Valley Council

Involve

Involve

Consult

How

Exhibition period

What

Share balanced information on current activities and plans. Take all reasonable steps to ensure stakeholders are advised of Council’s proposal.

Communicate updates to keep the community informed.

We will let you know at least 14 days in advance of work.

Ask for community views about Council plans and strategies. In addition to minimum statutory provisions, take all reasonable steps to ensure stakeholders are advised of the opportunity to provide feedback.

Recognise community views and concerns and ensure these are reflected as inputs into Council’s final decision.

Min 28 days.

Involve the community to ensure priorities are reflected in the decision.

Provide a range of opportunities/ channels for the community to share their views.

Directly reflect community concerns and aspirations in the finalised plan.

Min 28 days.

Involve the community to ensure priorities are reflected in the decision.

Provide a range of opportunities/ channels for the community to share their views.

Directly reflect community concerns and aspirations in the finalised plan.

Min 28 days.

Ask for community views about options identified by Council. Take all reasonable steps to ensure stakeholders are advised of the opportunity to provide feedback.

Recognise community views and concerns and ensure these are reflected as inputs into Council’s final decision.

Min 28 days.

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Feedback

Outside formal exhibition • • • • •

Contact Centre General Enquires line General Emails Community Engagement Team Website – Clarence Conversations

Consideration of NSW Government stakeholders • • • •

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Department of Planning Industry and Environment Transport for NSW Service NSW Resilience NSW

Clarence Valley Council

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First Nations stakeholders • • • •

Clarence Valley Aboriginal Advisory Committee - community members from Bundjalung, Gumbaynggirr and Yaegl Local Aboriginal Land Councils Traditional Owner Corporations First Nations government and non-government agencies

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Measuring Success WRITING LETTERS SUMMARY REPORTS

FEEDBACK METHODS

PROJECT PLANS

WEBSITES FACE TO FACE SESSIONS

How we report back - in an open and transparent manner, we close the loop by providing feedback to the community.

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Clarence Valley Council

Clarence Valley Council Council@clarence.nsw.gov.au (02) 6643 0200 www.clarence.nsw.gov.au 2 Prince St, Grafton NSW 2460 50 River St, Maclean NSW 2463