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Our Community Engagement Strategy and Policy

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Consultation on this project has concluded and the revised documents adopted in April 2025. Thank you for your input.


Willoughby City Council's ten-year Community Strategic Plan, Our Future Willoughby 2036, includes Priority 5.5 – Make it easy for citizens to engage and participate in decision making. To help implement this priority, Council has a Community Engagement Framework.


The Framework consists of the following elements:

The Community Engagement Policy defines the Council’s engagement principles, the elements of the Council’s Community Engagement Framework and internal roles and responsibilities

The Community Engagement Strategy is required under Local Government Act (Sect 402A) and explains how Council undertakes engagement with the local community when developing its plans, policies and programs and for the purpose of determining its activities, including non-statutory strategic planning matters (such as centre, precinct or sector studies). 

The Community Participation Plan is required under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and covers statutory planning and development matters, including Planning Proposals and Development Applications.



Background to the 2025 review

Willoughby's Community Engagement Strategy and Policy are reviewed with every new Council term, as part of a wider review of Council's key strategic documents. This is to ensure they continue to meet the needs and desires of the community.


The 2025 review was informed by:

  • An assessment of the existing documents against legislative requirements
  • A desktop review of best practice
  • The Integrated Planning Report (IPR) compliance and quality audit
  • Council’s 2023 Community Wellbeing Survey
  • Lessons learnt from recent engagement activities
  • A review of Council Advisory Committees
  • Consultation with internal stakeholders

Based on this review, a draft revised Community Engagement Strategy and Community Engagement Policy was put on public exhibition for community comment at the beginning of 2025.


Key updates

The revised Strategy has been updated to include the engagement principles below:





The revised Strategy also includes:


  • A minimum recommended engagement period of 28 days to allow adequate time for people to become aware of the project, read the information and then make a submission. This timeframe may vary under certain circumstances such as when State legislation or statutory requirements stipulate the engagement timeframe.
  • Community engagement should be suspended from the middle of December to the middle of January to allow for the Christmas and New Year holiday period. Consideration will also be given to lengthen the engagement period if it falls over a school holiday period.
  • The establishment of a Community Voice Panel to expand the reach of Council’s engagement. This is an ongoing, inclusive group who have opted in, with no criteria to join.

Advisory Committees and Project Reference Groups

Project Reference Groups; established for particular projects may be multi-staged or be delivered over a longer time period. They consist of a mix of community members with an interest or expertise in the project subject matter. They assist Council for the term of the project, providing an opportunity to tap into the community and/or experts for particular matters. 

Council will have four Advisory Committees that provide strategic advice and assistance on specific topics for the term of Council. 

 The committees for this term include: 

1. Access and Inclusion 

2. Active and Integrated Transport 

3. Bushland and Natural Heritage 

4. Sustainability


The revised Policy

The review of the Community Engagement Policy has resulted in negligible changes, such as edits to update dates, titles of roles, as well as an expanded definition of community engagement.


Adoption of final revised drafts

The final drafts were considered by Council and adopted at its meeting in April 2025. The report to Council includes the public exhibition engagement outcome report.

Click this link to view the adopted Community Engagement Policy
Click this link to view the adopted Community Engagement Strategy

Willoughby City Council's ten-year Community Strategic Plan, Our Future Willoughby 2036, includes Priority 5.5 – Make it easy for citizens to engage and participate in decision making. To help implement this priority, Council has a Community Engagement Framework.


The Framework consists of the following elements:

The Community Engagement Policy defines the Council’s engagement principles, the elements of the Council’s Community Engagement Framework and internal roles and responsibilities

The Community Engagement Strategy is required under Local Government Act (Sect 402A) and explains how Council undertakes engagement with the local community when developing its plans, policies and programs and for the purpose of determining its activities, including non-statutory strategic planning matters (such as centre, precinct or sector studies). 

The Community Participation Plan is required under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and covers statutory planning and development matters, including Planning Proposals and Development Applications.



Background to the 2025 review

Willoughby's Community Engagement Strategy and Policy are reviewed with every new Council term, as part of a wider review of Council's key strategic documents. This is to ensure they continue to meet the needs and desires of the community.


The 2025 review was informed by:

  • An assessment of the existing documents against legislative requirements
  • A desktop review of best practice
  • The Integrated Planning Report (IPR) compliance and quality audit
  • Council’s 2023 Community Wellbeing Survey
  • Lessons learnt from recent engagement activities
  • A review of Council Advisory Committees
  • Consultation with internal stakeholders

Based on this review, a draft revised Community Engagement Strategy and Community Engagement Policy was put on public exhibition for community comment at the beginning of 2025.


Key updates

The revised Strategy has been updated to include the engagement principles below:





The revised Strategy also includes:


  • A minimum recommended engagement period of 28 days to allow adequate time for people to become aware of the project, read the information and then make a submission. This timeframe may vary under certain circumstances such as when State legislation or statutory requirements stipulate the engagement timeframe.
  • Community engagement should be suspended from the middle of December to the middle of January to allow for the Christmas and New Year holiday period. Consideration will also be given to lengthen the engagement period if it falls over a school holiday period.
  • The establishment of a Community Voice Panel to expand the reach of Council’s engagement. This is an ongoing, inclusive group who have opted in, with no criteria to join.

Advisory Committees and Project Reference Groups

Project Reference Groups; established for particular projects may be multi-staged or be delivered over a longer time period. They consist of a mix of community members with an interest or expertise in the project subject matter. They assist Council for the term of the project, providing an opportunity to tap into the community and/or experts for particular matters. 

Council will have four Advisory Committees that provide strategic advice and assistance on specific topics for the term of Council. 

 The committees for this term include: 

1. Access and Inclusion 

2. Active and Integrated Transport 

3. Bushland and Natural Heritage 

4. Sustainability


The revised Policy

The review of the Community Engagement Policy has resulted in negligible changes, such as edits to update dates, titles of roles, as well as an expanded definition of community engagement.


Adoption of final revised drafts

The final drafts were considered by Council and adopted at its meeting in April 2025. The report to Council includes the public exhibition engagement outcome report.

Click this link to view the adopted Community Engagement Policy
Click this link to view the adopted Community Engagement Strategy

  • CLOSED: This submission form is closed.

    Submission form - Community Engagement Strategy and Policy

    Consultation on this project has concluded and the revised documents adopted in April 2025. Thank you for your input.
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