2014-08-19 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda - Pages 102-155

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   19 AUGUST 2014




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PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                 19 AUGUST 2014

  COUNCIL POLICY - COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

  ENGAGEMENT CONTEXT

  1.   Statutory Compliance
  The Queensland Local Government Act 2009 outlines the in principle need for local government to
  engage with the community and to encourage and assist participation, in particular, principle (c)
  Section 4 “democratic representation, social inclusion and meaningful community engagement”.
  2.   Engagement around Strategic Issues
  By their very nature, these engagements will concern strategic and/or shire wide issues. On these
  issues, Council could involve the community through the establishment of advisory panels and
  taskforces or through special one-off conferences or other appropriate engagement activities
  designed to generate dialogue and ideas. Councillors will be consulted to determine the nature and
  type of their involvement in the strategic issue.
  3.  | Engagement concerning Local Issues
  Council will take a flexible approach on how it engages with the community on local issues.
  Engagement activities will provide an opportunity to give and receive information and may include
  the establishment of working or project groups, divisional forums or community meetings. Such
  activities will be action-focussed and will often involve Council staff.

  4.   Engagement Linked to day to day Council Business
  Council staff in consultation with Councillors will identify and manage community engagement
  activities associated with Council’s core business and projects approved in Council's budget. The
  responsible department will establish the most appropriate engagement technique at the project
  planning stage and coordinate requirements with the Community Engagement Branch. The
  relevant department will be responsible for providing information to the community on the issue,
  facilitating the community involvement, and establishing success metrics with assistance from the
  Community Engagement Branch.
  5.   Engagement Activities
  Council recognises the full spectrum of engagement activities as contained within the IAP2
  Spectrum of Public Participation ranging from informing, consulting, involving, collaborating and
  empowering.
  Council will use different community engagement techniques and communication mechanisms
  depending on the issue or project, its particular circumstance and the audience it needs to target.
  The need for and type of community engagement to be undertaken will be determined at the
  project planning stage following an analysis of the desired project outcomes. The project plan will
  also identify the most appropriate communication tool to ensure that the particular target group(s)
  is well informed of both the issue and related engagement opportunities.
  At the planning stage, the project team will also consider whether or not it can obtain the
  community information it requires from another source, or previous engagement activity, in order to
  maximise the use of limited resources and minimise the potential for consultation fatigue
  developing within the community.

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