2023-03-07 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                              7 MARCH 2023


•    Revision of references to supporting documents.
•    Incorporating roles and responsibilities across the organisation, as outlined in the
     Community Engagement Framework.
•    Inclusion of a statement on periodic review of the policy.

The Community Engagement Policy is supported by the Community Engagement Framework
and associated Practice Guidelines document to ensure that, where appropriate, the decisions
that council makes can be meaningfully informed by input from the community through quality
engagement processes.

The Framework and Guidelines are designed as internal documents to guide staff on how to
design, plan and deliver high quality engagement processes in consultation with the
Communications and Community Engagement Branch and are underpinned by the International
Association for Public Participation (IAP2) best practice approaches to community and
stakeholder engagement.

Therefore, the Community Engagement Policy is council’s public facing commitment to the
community that outlines how community feedback will inform council decision making through
well designed, planned and managed community engagement processes.

Following the endorsement of the new Community Engagement Policy by Council an
operational implementation process to launch the Community Engagement Framework and
Practice Guidelines internally will be delivered by the Communications and Community
Engagement Branch.

Previous Council Consideration
The Community Engagement Policy was originally adopted on 28 August 2014 and
subsequently revised and amended by Council on 20 April 2017.

Finance
There are no financial implications or considerations associated with updating the Community
Engagement Policy

Risks & Opportunities
The revised Community Engagement Policy demonstrates council’s outward commitment to
best practice community engagement and aligns with council’s internal approach and methods
to design, plan and manage meaningful community engagement processes.

Consultation
External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder
Meaningful stakeholder engagement forms part of council’s responsibilities under the
Queensland Local Government Act 2009 and a priority under the Corporate Plan 2023 – 2028.
Council recently completed a consultation on the Corporate Plan, which includes our approach
to community engagement. There have been no specific engagement processes with the
community on the development of the Community Engagement Policy.

Internal Consultation
The Executive Leadership Team and the Governance Branch have reviewed the revised
Community Engagement Policy and recommend the Policy for endorsement by council.




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