Pittwater Council is committed to engaging with the community to:

• Better meet the needs of the community.
• Tap into local knowledge and expertise.
• Have a more informed community.
• Encourage and enable community participation in the decision making process.

Community engagement serves to strengthen the links between Council and its community and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Council in response to community issues.

Community engagement may include:

• Information Provision
• Consultation
• Involvement
• Partnerships

The key reasons why it is important for Council to engage and consult the community are:

• to better meet the needs of the community
• to tap into local knowledge and expertise
• to have a more informed community
• to encourage and enable community participation in decision making

The Legislative requirements under the Local Government Act, 1993, outlines Council's role, including the responsibility 'to facilitate the involvement of councillors, members of the public, users of facilities and services and council staff in the development, improvement and co-ordination of local government'.  Various Acts outline additional legislative requirements, including the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979 and Principles of Multiculturalism Act, 2000.

Current Community Engagement Practices

Pittwater Council currently has in place mechanisms for undertkaing community engagement including:

• Public meetings
• Community workshops
• Portfolio committees
• Special committees
• Joint committees
• External committees
• Stakeholder focus groups, workshops/meetings
• Public exhibitions inviting submissions
• Media releases
• Information brochures, flyers, pamphlets and posters

The Way Forward - Pittwater Council's Community Engagement Strategy

The new Strategy is to include:

• Community Engagement Framework document to guide staff and the community as to how engagement should take place for different situations.
• Community Engagement Tool Kit document to provide staff and the community practical guidance on the 'how to' of community engagement.
• Residential Panel to consist of up to 1% to 2% of the areas population who have volunteered to represent all sectors of the community in ongoing public consultation.

Further updates will be provided as the Community Engagement Strategy develops.