Draft Community Engagement Strategy

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY

THE MAYOR MESSAGE FROM

Engagement is fundamentally about seeking better outcomes for everyone.

An engaged community can provide insights on the projects or issues that affect the way they live, work, or play in our Shire, leading to superior results for all.

As Mayor of The Hills Shire Council, it is my privilege to present the Hills Shire Council Community Engagement Strategy 2023-2024.

The Hills Shire continues to grow as more families choose to live in this fantastic part of the world.

The Local Government Area’s (LGA) population is approximately 200,000 and is predicted to grow to 290,000 by 2036, as per our Local Strategic Planning Statement. Growth brings opportunities but it also creates challenges, and we aim to have an engaged community that can provide feedback on how we best operate as we grow.

The Community Engagement Strategy 20232024 will help us better engage with the people, organisations, and businesses. This document outlines Council’s commitment and our approach. It provides transparency and clarity for all stakeholders so they can understand the role they

play in the engagement process and at what stages they have opportunities to engage with Council. This strategy outlines the steps involved in planning and delivering our engagement. It references the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2), which is the recognised industry body guiding the practice of community engagement. Engagement is an important part of the democratic system under which Council operates. Hearing from our community on important matters is key to helping Council make the decisions that are best for our community.

Council will use new and existing communications methods and media platforms to engage with our growing community.

Council encourages active participation from residents and the wider community in the decisions that affect their lives. Please take the opportunity to have your say. Your feedback is essential to allow us to plan for both our current residents, as well as the future generations who will call The Hills Shire home.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

Council acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which the Shire is located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past, present and emerging.

Engagement with our community is one of our top priorities as a Council as we are here to serve you to the best of our ability.

Dr Peter Gangemi MAYOR

INTRODUCTION

The Community Engagement Strategy guides the way Council listens to and engages with our community.The Community Engagement strategy is underpinned by the Community Engagement Policy, committing Council to the review and evaluation of organisational capability and improvement overtime. To simplify, community engagement is ever evolving, and the policy commits Council to consistently finding ways to improve its engagement practices.

Council’s Community Participation Plan is a separate document and outlines when and how the community can expect to participate in planning matters that affect them. It applies to plan making and development assessment matters within the Shire including applications and proposals that need to be assessed and determined by Council as well as planning matters within the Shire that need to be assessed and determined by local or regional planning panels.

WHAT IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT?

The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) guides the practice of community engagement and is recognised internationally as the peak body for ideal community engagement and practice standards. The IAP2 defines Community Engagement as

an intentional process with the purpose of working in inclusive and respectful ways to shape decisions, actions, impacts or change.

BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

When done well, community engagement delivers:

• Better outcomes for all - i.e. more sustainable decisions, improved time management, resource and budget management

• Increased community awareness of Council’s role, services and programs

• Increased Council understanding of community values, diversity and culture

• Increased Council understanding of community needs and aspirations

• Enhanced relationships, increased trust and satisfaction with Council’s services and community outcomes

• Increased support for Council decisions as a result of greater ‘buy-in’ and understanding.

WHY DO WE ENGAGE?

We recognise that our community has the right to participate in issues that impact and interest them. Community engagement helps us make better decisions by understanding what the community cares about now and in the future. Council is also required to adhere to the Local Government Act 1993.

A Council must establish and implement a strategy (called its Community Engagement Strategy) for engagement with the local community when developing its plans, policies and programs and for the purpose of determining its activities (other than routine administrative matters).

- Local Government Act 1993 No 30 ch 13 pt 2 section 402A

COMMUNITY ABOUT THE HILLS

191,876 POPULATION

49.3% MALE

The Hills is an area experiencing rapid growth and change with a unique mix of urban and rural areas.

WORKFORCE

50.7% FEMALE

COUNTRY OF BIRTH, TOP RESPONSES

57.5% Hills residents born in Australia

2.7% UK

54,291

6.6% India

6.4% China

1.8% Philippines

38 MEDIAN AGE FAMILIES

59.2%

1.7% South Korea

31.2% are local residents

LANGUAGES USED AT HOME

44.2% use a nonEnglish language at home

18.7%

Medium

or

high density dwellings

HOUSING TENURE

• Owned with a mortgage

• Owned outright

• Rented

Located

PRINCIPLES OUR ENGAGEMENT

Our principles of community engagement focuses on being informed, fair, inclusive, accessible, and adaptable.

1 2 3 4 5

The Community engagement process has a clearly defined objective and scope. Activities are informed, intentional and led by the Community Engagement Strategy.

Community engagement is proactive with participants having access to objective, relevant and timely information to generate effective outcomes and results.

Community engagement is open and inclusive. Engagement activities and processes strive to provide a safe environment where all feel comfortable, welcome, and confident to participate.

Participants are provided with accessible information to support their participation, i.e., plain English text, translated materials, graphics and visual stimuli.

Informed Fair Inclusive Accesible Adaptable

Participants in community engagement are informed on how the engagement has influenced Council’s decision. Council will share what’s been learned and strive to improve moving forward.

STAKEHOLDERS COUNCIL’S KEY

The Hills Shire Council exists to serve the community and its residents. Council is committed to engaging with stakeholders by responding to requests for information and services; conducting community engagement activities and building relationships with the community. See the table below:

STAKEHOLDER GROUPS WAYS OF ENGAGING WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS

RESIDENTS AND RATEPAYERS

• Public meetings

• Publications

• Website

• Social media

• Rates notices

• Community

meetings

WHY OUR STAKEHOLDERS ARE IMPORTANT TO US

WHY WE ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS

BUSINESS

• Information display or kiosk

• Public exhibition

• Annual Report

• Phone surveys

• Focus groups and workshops

• Publications

• Website

• Social media

Provide guidance values, engagement and feedback on how to make life better for people in The Hills.

Build capacity, provide jobs, and drive the economy in our community.

Provide civic leadership representation, services and facilities. Generate sustainable growth and return to the community.

Provide and promote business.

COMMUNITY GROUPS AND VOLUNTEERS

VISITORS

• Focus groups and workshops

• Committees

• Events

• Website

• Published information

Build trust and bridges to local communities through services.

Provide economic benefit, generate employment opportunities and financial viability.

Provide support and partnerships.

Provide products, services and facilities.

CUSTOMERS

• Customer satisfaction measurements

• Customer care and service

• Website

• Publications

• Fact sheets

• Feedback forms

Provide us with feedback and utilise the services and products.

Provide products and services at good value and quality.

EMPLOYEES AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES

PARTNERS –REGIONAL/ NATIONAL

OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT

• Staff portal

• Staff briefings and onsite meetings

• Employee survey

• Exit surveys

• Interviews

• Emails

• Newsletters

• Contract management – account management relationships.

• Regular engagement through site visits.

• Formal meetings

• Briefings

• Networks

• Correspondence

• One-on-one meetings

Central to the success of our organisation by providing valuable knowledge, skills and labour.

Provide shared knowledge, cultural experiences, knowledge and resources.

Provide funding opportunities, services, planning direction, legislation and networks.

Provide a fair, engaging and enriching work experience with career development and flexible work arrangements.

Provide advocacy, leadership, cultural vibrancy, and resources in line with policy and legislation.

Provide local strategies, partnerships and networks.

SUPPLIERS

MEDIA

• Contract management – account management relationships.

• Media releases

• Briefings

• Interviews

• Social media

Provide good value and quality products and services.

Build and protect reputation and raise awareness of our services and facilities.

Provide fair access to business opportunities in line with policy and legislation.

Provide trend data as well as social, environmental, economic and governance information.

ENGAGEMENT OUR APPROACH TO

The Hills Shire Council’s community engagement aligns with the IAP2’s Core Values, as well as the use of its Community Engagement Spectrum.

Community engagement is a fluid process with several factors that influence the depth of engagement and the methods carried out for it. Engagement methods can span across more than one level of engagement on the IAP2’s community engagement spectrum. Methods are also tailored to whichever is determined to be most effective in collecting effective and useful data.

IAP2 Core Values

Being the international leader in public participation, the IAP2 has developed seven core values for use in the development and implementation of community engagement, defining the expectations and aspirations.

The IAP2 Core Values are as follows:

1. Public participation is based on the belief that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process.

2. Public participation includes the promise that the public’s contribution will influence the decision.

3. Public participation promotes sustainable decisions by recognising and communicating the needs and interests of all participants, including decision makers.

4. Public participation seeks out and facilitates the involve of those potentially affected by or interested in a decision.

5. Public participation seeks input from participants in designing how they participate.

6. Public participation provides participants with the information they need to participate in a meaningful way.

7. Public participation communicates to participants how their input affected the decision.

IAP2 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECTRUM

The community engagement spectrum is designed to help select the level of participation that details the public’s involvement and role in a community engagement program.

INFORM CONSULT

To provide the community and key stakeholders with easy-to-understand information to assist them in understanding the project or matter, including alternatives, opportunities and/or solutions.

To obtain the opinions and feedback of the community and key stakeholders on the project or matter, including alternatives, opportunities and/or solutions.

INVOLVE

To work directly with the community and key stakeholders throughout the process of the project or matter, ensuring that their concerns and aspirations are consistently heard and considered.

COLLABORATE

To partner with the community and key stakeholders in each stage of the project or matter, including the development of alternatives and identification of preferred outcomes. Ultimately, Council makes the final decision, but the opinions and suggestions provided significantly shape it.

EMPOWER

To provide the community and key stakeholders the ability to make the final decision. It is important to note that this will rarely ever occur as The Hills Shire Council is a government organisation that exists to serve and execute decisions on behalf of the public’s best interests.

ENGAGEMENT EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITY

Community engagement is a fluid process. There are many methods that can be used, and the most effective ones will depend on the targeted engagement participants.

Ultimately, engagement methods chosen should strive to be simple, accessible, inclusive, and designed to encourage participants to comfortably have their say. The following are just a few examples.

NEWSLETTERS

Engagement Level: Inform, Consult, Involve. Mostly at the inform level, but calls-to-action may be used to invite the audience to make a submission or comment on highlighted matters.

Objective: To share information.

Resources: Minimal. Can be conducted internally by staff (1-2) and electronically through e-Newsletters.

Time: Minimum 2 hours. Preparation can take a full business day at most, depending on the approval process for the content.

Number of Participants: Unlimited. Can be also be a subscription list to a specific audience.

ADVERTISING

Engagement Level: Inform, Consult, Involve, Collaborate.

Objective: To share information. Can be done through print, broadcast tv/radio, social media, email, websites, and signage. Digital advertising has led to new opportunities for interactive engagement, where certain metrics can be tracked to form an understanding of participants.

Resources: Minimal. Can be conducted internally by staff (1-3) and organised through external contractors and contacts.

Time: 2 hours to a full business day. Sometimes, it may take a few business days depending on the approval process.

Number of Participants: Unlimited.

ONLINE CONSULTATION

Engagement Level: Inform, Consult, Involve, Collaborate

Objective: To provide information regarding a project or matter and allow the public to provide their feedback.

Resources: Minimal. Can be conducted internally by staff (1-2).

Time: 2 hours to a full business day.

Number of Participants: Unlimited.

DOTMOCRACY

Engagement Level: Inform, Consult.

Objective: To collect and compile input.

Resources: Minimal. Can be conducted internally (1-3 staff members). Can be done virtually via video conferencing software or in-person at an accessible location.

Time: 1-2 hours.

Number of Participants: 25-30 at most.

CONSULTATION WORKSHOP

Engagement Level: Inform, Consult, Involve, Collaborate

Objective: To collect and obtain information on the community’s thoughts, desires, and aspirations.

Resources: Moderate. Can be conducted internally but ideally externally through a third-party, to avoid bias. Will require 2-3 facilitators and can take many forms, such as a simple conversational workshop through to a citizen’s jury. Alternatively, this can also be conducted virtually via video conferencing software.

Time: 1-2 days. More time may be required to prepare prior to the workshops and to evaluate afterwards.

Number of Participants: 25-75. Dependent on the venue selected, budget available and number of facilitators.

EVALUATION &

REPORTING

Council will share learnings from engagement activities and strive to continuously improve moving forward. The community will also be kept in the loop on how their contributions helped shape the final decision.

GLOSSARY

Community

For the purpose of this document, community refers to anyone with an interest in decisions made in The Hills Shire Local Government Area including stakeholders from the public and private sector.

Community Strategic Plan (CSP)

A Council plan prepared under the Local Government Act 1993 which focuses on achieving the long term social, environmental and economic aspirations of the community.

Dotmocracy

A dotmocracy is a method often facilitated to help groups prioritise ideas. It involves the use of sticky dots where participants stick their dot on their most preferred choice or top priority.

International Association of Public Participation IAP2

The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) is an organisation advancing the practice for public participation across the world but also from an Australian perspective. IAP2 supports people who implement participation in public decision-making processes.

Public Exhibition

Public Exhibition is a process whereby plans or other documents are advertised in local papers and made available on a website, or a sign is installed on a property (if related to a development application).

Representative Engagement

Describes actively seeking out and involving individuals or groups impacted by Council’s activities, projects or decision making to ensure diversity of viewpoints and values are considered.

Stakeholder

An individual or group with a strong interest in the decisions of Council or directly impacted by their outcomes. Community becomes stakeholders when a project directly affects them.

Submission

A formal response to a public document (more commonly a policy, plan, strategy) generally made during the public exhibition period.

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