Council’s recently adopted Community Strategic Plan and internal restructure are paying big dividends for the community in the delivery of important new and updated policies, plans, procedures and strategies that govern how we serve the community.
Last year, Council adopted its Community Strategic Plan 2022-2042. This plan identified the challenges and opportunities facing the Hawkesbury over the next two decades and set the directions required to meet these challenges and opportunities successfully.
At the heart of this plan is four ‘outcomes’ pillars that guide our decision making – Great Place to Live, Protected Environment and Values History, Strong Economy and Reliable Council. All Council planning, policy and strategy is now developed with these pillars at their core.
Policy, plan, procedure and strategy development can be a challenging process. Following four years of fires, floods and Covid, Council recognised changes were needed to ensure that the organisation was able to evolve to meet the changing needs and new challenges that face the Hawkesbury. This involved an internal restructure to achieve greater efficiencies and a recruitment drive targeting high quality individuals to improve our skill base, and a whole-of-council review of our policies, plans, procedures and strategies.
These documents are a key cornerstone in the effective and transparent functioning of Council to ensure transparent governance and quality outcomes for the Hawkesbury. They identify the goals and set the requirements for achieving those goals, including the steps and resources that are needed. They are public documents so the community has the opportunity to have their say on those policies, plans, procedures and strategies before being adopted, and to view them at any time afterwards.
Since January, Council has exhibited more than 10 new or revised policies, plans, procedures and strategies. At the 11 July 2023 Council meeting, Council adopted the Code of Conduct and Procedures, Environmental Sustainability Strategy, Local Approvals Policy – Caravans, and the Western Sydney Regional Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy.
At the same meeting, Councillors resolved to place a further three draft policies onto public exhibition, including the Draft Media Policy, Draft Child Safe Policy, and the Draft Managing Conflict of Interest for Council Related Development Policy, which will be placed on public exhibition within the next fortnight. They will join the Draft Urban Greening Strategy and Macquarie Park Plan of Management which are currently available for viewing and comment. Staff are also working on more than a dozen more to be presented to the community in the coming months.
View the Community Strategic Plan 2022-2042 at www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/your-council/about-council/about-us
Adopted strategies, policies and plans can be viewed at www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/your-council under ‘Corporate Publications’ and ‘Policies and Strategies’, and www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-build for planning-related matters.
The community can view and comment on all draft policies, plans, procedures and strategies at
www.youhawkesbury-yoursay.com.auThis external link will open in a new window
