Community Engagement

Effective communication and meaningful engagement are at the heart of Council’s relationship with the community. When we listen, share openly, and work together, we deliver better outcomes for everyone. That’s why strengthening our community engagement processes has been a particular focus for Council, as we progress the priorities outlined in our Community Vision 2035. Through genuine two-way communication, we aim to empower residents to have a say in the decisions that shape our towns, environment, and shared future.

To support this, Council has developed a combined Community Engagement Strategy(PDF, 5MB) and Community Participation Plan(PDF, 5MB), bringing together two legislatively required documents into one clear and comprehensive framework.

 

This integrated approach ensures a clear and consistent framework for how Council engages with the community across all areas of its work. By bringing these documents together, we provide a full picture of our engagement commitments, from statutory planning functions under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, to broader consultation on Council projects, policies, and services. The strategy outlines when and how the community can get involved, the tools and platforms we use, and how we meet our legal obligations while striving for best practice engagement. It also helps staff tailor consultation activities to suit different audiences, remove barriers to participation, and support inclusive, transparent decision making that reflects our community’s diverse needs and aspirations.

What is community engagement?

Community engagement is how we connect with our community to shape the future of our Shire. It’s a shared responsibility built on open, ongoing conversations. Engagement takes many forms; keeping you informed about project updates, gathering feedback through surveys and submissions, and hosting workshops and events where ideas and perspectives help guide Council’s decisions. Council respects the community’s right to be informed and to have a voice on projects that matter to them. By listening to community views and values, we gain a clearer understanding of local priorities, helping Council make better decisions and deliver services that best meet the needs of our Shire.

Council has developed a range of principles that assist in delivering meaningful engagement with our community. By ensuring that our engagement opportunities are open, build trust, adds purpose and are carried out in a timely and inclusive way, we endeavour to ensure that our community is well-informed and that we foster strong relationships with our stakeholders

Our Principles to Engagement

OPENNESS - Engagement is meaningful, transparent, clear, authentic, and adds value.

TRUST- Engagement builds trust and strengthens community understanding.

PURPOSE - Engagement has clear purpose, objective and approach.

TIMELINESS- Engagement starts early and keeps the community informed throughout the process.

INCLUSIVITY - Engagement is accessible to all, with targeted strategies to reach priority populations.

When does Council engage the community?

Public exhibition is an important way for our community to have a voice in Council’s decision-making. During this period, draft documents, planning proposals, and certain development applications are made available for community feedback.

Most of Council’s strategic planning documents (including this one!) and those related to planning and development, have legislated minimum exhibition periods. In most cases, draft documents are first endorsed by Council before being placed on exhibition. No final decisions are made until the exhibition period has ended and all community feedback has been considered. These documents have specific exhibition timeframes that must be met, which are outlined in the following pages. 

Everyone is welcome to ‘Have Your Say’ by making a submission during the exhibition period. 

To view current public exhibitions and provide feedback, visit: bellingen.nsw.gov.au/Have-Your-Say

Public exhibitions of Development Applications can be accessed both through Council’s Greenlight Portal, visit: bellingen.greenlightopm.com

On matters that are not subject to statutory consultation requirements, Once a project in the Operational Plan is funded, engagement opportunities must remain flexible and tailored to suit the project’s specific requirements. All of the projects outlined in the Delivery Program have varying stakeholders and community engagement requirements. A key component of all projects undertaken by Council involves identifying stakeholders and selecting appropriate and relevant methods to engage with them.

How do Council engage and consult?

We use a range of channels to inform our community about opportunities to engage with our projects and gather their feedback. As well as capturing project-related feedback, we may also collect relevant demographic information, such as stakeholders’ age and location, to help us better understand community feedback and how it might shape our work.

The updated Community Engagement Strategy reflects the insights gathered through multiple touch points. It provides a clear framework for how Council engages with the community, tailoring approaches to different demographics and interest groups to ensure more inclusive and effective participation. The addition of the Community Participation Plan further integrates the planning and development processes, making them more transparent and accessible. By embedding this within our broader Engagement Strategy, we aim to simplify complexities and strengthen community understanding of Council’s decision-making processes - not just in planning, but across all areas of Council operations.