Wollongong City Council is constantly working to improve the way we engage and communicate with our community. Our community consultation process aims to inform residents, promote community input and encourage people to have their say on current issues relating to major projects, development assessments and civil works.

In the past, Council has used a number of communication methods (as outlined in Council’s Community Engagement Framework, Policy and Options) including: kiosks, community planning sessions, mail outs, newspaper advertising, Ward Councillor Forms and Local Area Meetings.

Recent changes in Council, in particular the appointment of three Administrators to undertake the role previously performed by the Lord Mayor and elected Councillors, as well as a shift from Neighbourhood Committees to Local Area Meetings, mean that some of the ways in which the community previously communicated with Council have changed.

In April, Council resolved to review its Community Engagement Framework, Policy and Options.

As part of the review process we want to hear from you about:

• how you want to receive information from Council
• how and when you want to be able to provide feedback to Council
• how you would like to communicate with Council’s Administrators?

We also want your feedback on:

• how we should define community engagement
• what our principles and standards should be
• what you think the purpose of community engagement is.

How can you be involved?
The Wollongong Local Government Area is diverse, with a complex mix of people, issues and places.  To give you a chance to provide your feedback, the review will use the following engagement methods:

• attendance by Council staff at Local Area Meetings (LAMs)
• a community forum
• staffed kiosks in local shopping centres
• survey

The following questions will be used in the consultation process to spark discussion and prompt feedback.

• How would you like to receive information from Council?
  e.g. letter, email, newspaper, kiosk, flyer, community forum
• How and when would you like to provide feedback to Council?
  e.g. letter, email, kiosk, community forum
• How and when would you like to collaborate with Council?
  e.g. workshop, community forum
• How would you like to engage with Council Administrators?
  e.g. before a Council meeting, after a Council meeting.

Feedback
To provide feedback about the above information please phone Council's Community Engagement division, by emailing or mailing your comments or by visiting Kiosk, Community Forum, Local Area Meeting or completing a survey. If you would like more informaiton or a copy of Council’s current Community Engagement Framework and Policy, our Community Engagement are happy to help.

What happens next?
From your feedback, Council’s Community Engagement Framework will be redrafted. A report will be sent to Council in June 2008 recommending the draft changes to Council’s Community Engagement Framework be put on public exhibition for further comment and feedback prior to being adopted by Council.

For dates and times of the next sessions, visist our Community Engagement Calendar.

We often place important plans and studies on public exhibition - they will appear on our city strategies page.

We also reccomend that you visit our DA's on exhibition page as we place a range of draft plans and documents on public exhibition so the community has the opportunity to comment. 

Visit our 'have your say' background page for more information about how our new Community Engagement Framework began .