Residents of the Kempsey Shire are being asked for their feedback on an updated 20 year vision for the future and Kempsey Shire Council's commitment to inclusive community engagement following the March meeting of Council.
The Your Future: 2045 Community Strategic Plan sets out the Macleay Valley community's vision for the future, our long term goals and strategies, while the Community Engagement and Participation Strategy highlights Council's decision-making processes, and the opportunities for all voices to be heard and considered in shaping outcomes.
These important documents have been updated and developed through extensive engagement with the community and stakeholders and were endorsed by Kempsey Council for public exhibition at its 18 March 2024 Ordinary Meeting. Both plans are subject to Local Government legislation and must be reviewed at the start of each Council term to align with the evolving priorities and desires of the region.
Kempsey Shire Council Mayor, Kinne Ring, highlighted that while the overarching vision for the future remains consistent, updates to the Community Strategic Plan reflect emerging priorities.
"The draft document reaffirms our strong and ongoing commitment to financial sustainability, plus a renewed focus on investing in our young people, safer communities, supporting the local economy, protecting our environment and quality engagement with our community," said Mayor Ring.
"We have included a new Disaster Risk Profile to highlight the growing challenges our community faces with natural disasters. The 'What the Community Wants' section has also been updated to more accurately reflect what we have heard from community over the last two years."
"The 28 day public exhibition is the opportunity for residents, government agencies and community groups to let Council know if we have captured those expectations and challenges correctly."
The draft Community Engagement and Participation Strategy outlines the planning and structure that goes into Council's community engagement and highlights opportunities for the public to actively participate in decision-making processes.
Kempsey Shire Council Acting General Manager, Michael Jackson, said it's important for the community to have a document that clearly articulates how and when they can share feedback on Council policies, priorities and projects.
"Councillors and Council staff are committed to genuine community engagement to ensure community opinion contributes to Council decision making," said Mr Jackson.
The Community Strategic Plan and the Community Engagement and Participation Strategy form part of Council's Integrated Planning and Reporting suite which together provide a structured, consistent approach to community planning.
Both draft documents will be available for public exhibition from Wednesday 19 March to 15 April 2025 through Your Say Macleay.
