Why is Council exhibiting these documents?

    Council is required to undertake corporate planning and reporting activities in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993, the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021, and the NSW Government’s Integrated Planning and Reporting Guidelines and Handbook 2021.

    Under this legislation, Council is required to:

    • engage with the community to review and prepare a revised 10-year Community Strategic Plan every four years, and before 30 June in the year following the election of a new Council
    • prepare a 10-year Resourcing Strategy, reviewed every four years
    • prepare a four-year Delivery Program for the term of elected Council, and review annually
    • prepare an annual Operational Plan including budget and Fees and Charges
    • publicly exhibit all of these documents for at least 28 days and invite submissions.

    What is a Community Strategic Plan

    Council prepares the Community Strategic Plan on behalf of the community. It is the highest-level strategic planning document and reflects the aspirations and vision of the local community. Council is not wholly responsible for its implementation. Other parties, including federal and state government agencies, non-government organisations and community groups, also play a vital role in implementing the plan.

    The Community Strategic Plan is structured around seven community values referred to as focus areas: Unique landscape, Lifestyle and wellbeing, Mobility and accessibility, Diverse economy, Connected communities, Creativity and Shared decision-making. 

    The Community Strategic Plan is based on the social justice principles of equity, access, participation and rights, and addresses social, environmental, economic and governance issues in an integrated manner.

    What is the Resourcing Strategy

    The Resourcing Strategy supports the Community Strategic Plan and explains how Council will help achieve the community’s long-term objectives by applying its time, money, assets and people. It consists of the:

    • 10-year Long-Term Financial Plan
    • 10-year Asset Management Framework, incorporating Plant and Fleet Management Strategy
    • four-year Workforce Management Strategy 
    • four-year Digital Strategy.

    The strategies and actions of the Resourcing Strategy are incorporated in the Delivery Program and Operational Plan and marked accordingly.

    What is the Delivery Program incorporating Operational Plan, budget and fees and charges

    The Delivery Program and the Operational Plan have been prepared as a combined document. Both are structured around the same seven focus areas of the Community Strategic Plan, and include an eighth focus area, Organisational Support, covering the strategies and actions of the Resourcing Strategy.

    The Delivery Program is a four-year plan that covers the term of an elected council and is reviewed annually. It includes strategies based on what Council can achieve over the next four years to bring us closer to the community’s objectives outlined in the Community Strategic Plan. Financial projections for the Delivery Program use a combination of detailed project and program information and assumptions.

    Due to the postponement of the 2020 local government elections to December 2021, the term of the current elected Council will be two years and nine months instead of the usual four-year term. The Local Government Act 1993 still requires the new Delivery Program to cover a four-year period. 

    The Operational Plan includes a list of actions and projects Council will undertake and aligns with the strategies of the Delivery Program. It incorporates an annual budget and projections for the term of the Delivery Program.

    The annual budget is determined from detailed information of projects and programs that are expected to be delivered within the 2022-2023 financial year and is connected to actions in the Operational Plan. 

    The fees and charges for various Council services are reviewed annually. Changes to fees and charges that have been requested for 2022-2023 are included in the annual budget. Revenue for fees and charges represents around seven per cent of Council’s total revenue.

    What engagement was undertaken to review the Community Strategic Plan?

    On 27 September 2021, Council endorsed a Community Engagement Strategy for the review and preparation of the draft Community Strategic Plan 2022-2032 (21SP087).

    A range of engagement techniques were used to raise awareness and seek input and feedback to inform the review of the Community Strategic Plan between 29 September and 26 November 2021. This included:

    • Your City newsletter delivered to 59,000 property owners and businesses as part of rates notice distribution
    • 9572 people who commented on, liked or shared social media posts
    • 5400 visits to Council’s online engagement portal Shape Lake Mac with 1279 surveys completed
    • independent telephone survey of 600 residents
    • 160 colouring in competition entries
    • 22 notifications sent to business and industry key stakeholders and government agencies, including State and Federal elected representatives, Department of Regional NSW, Transport for NSW, Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation, Business Hunter, Property Council (Hunter Chapter) and Committee for the Hunter
    • 14 representatives sourced from Council’s advisory groups and committees for an online Community Focus Group
    • six pop-up sessions held across the city.

    You can view the engagement summary here.

    How can I have my say?

    To provide feedback: 

    • complete the relevant sections of the feedback form
    • via email to [email protected]  with the subject heading attention Corporate Planning
    • via post to ATT: Corporate Planning, Lake Macquarie City Council, Box 1906, Hunter Mail Centre, NSW 2310.