Below is the draft of the Flinders Shire Community Plan 'Our Future' please read this plan and comment back to council on any issues you may think have not been covered or any other comments you have about the plan.
Flinders Shire Community Plan 'Our Future' - DRAFT
Submissions close: 5:00pm 4th November 2011.
What is a Community Plan?
A CommunityPlan is a ten year (minimum)high level plan that identifies community needs and articulates the Council and community's long-term vision, aspirations and priorities. A CommunityPlan is for the whole community, not just for local government.
A Community Plan is intended to be long-term, providing a future focused planning and action framework to support Council in strengthening the assets of the community whilst identifying strategies and systems required to effectively manage growth and change.
The purpose of the Community Plan is to:
• Inform longer-term decisions to be made by c=Council in relation to policy, planning and resource
allocation.
• Compliment, guide and inform Council's other strategic planning systems and decision-making.
• Capture the expertise, interests and views of stakeholders representing the whole of the community
(government, business, interest groups, individuals and community organisations) into a framework that
describes how a community aspires to reach its full potential.
• Provides a basis for transparency and accountability for the development and implementation of other
operational and action plans of local government.
So in short a Community Plan is the communities vision which will guide Council within councils limited resources to make our community what we, the residents want, or would like to see happen, in Flinders Shire to ensure our future.
Why Develop a Community Plan?
The Local Government Act 2009 has an increased emphasis on planning and accountability, requiring every Council to develop a long-term community plan. The Act also places an importance on community engagement. As a legislative principle, community engagement is required in all council processes and across all Council business, including the development of the long term community plan.
The Principles of the Act state that local government must ensure "transparent and effective processes and decision making in the public interest" and "democratic representation, social inclusion and meaningful community engagement." The Local Government (Finance, Plans and Reporting) Regulation 2010 will require every Council to prepare and adopt a Community Engagement Policy.
Flinders Shire Council will need to demonstrate how it complies with its Community Engagement Policy in preparing the Community Plan or changing the plan and identifying local and regional issues that affect, or may in the future affect, the shire.
The Community Plan, when supported by a reliable Long Term Financial Plan and Long Term Asset Management Plan will be the key driver for the Five Year Corporate Plan and will influence all other plans of Council, whether they are strategic, operational or action plans.
The Community Plan will also bring other benefits to Council.
Community planning:
• Is good business practice.
• Connects Council with the community.
• Allows community members to contribute to planning.
• Shares responsibility for a positive future.
Address Submissions to:
Flinders Shire Council
Telephone: 07 4741 2900 Fax: 07 4741 1741
34 Gray Street
PO Box 99
Hughenden Qld 4821
