Help direct your region’s future

Published: 06 May 2022 11:59am

Wagga Wagga City Council is seeking community feedback on Council’s key long-term strategic plan, as well as associated delivery, operational and financial plans.

Originally developed in 2017 after extensive community engagement and consultation, the Community Strategic Plan 2040 is now due for renewal.

Preparation for this revised plan has been informed by direct consultation, communication with, and feedback received from our community and key stakeholders during the past five years throughout the development of Council’s adopted high-level strategies and plans.

Corporate Strategy Coordinator Jacqueline Martin said this feedback period is an ideal opportunity for community members to review the plan while considering what they like about living in Wagga Wagga and surrounding villages, as well as what could be improved, and let Council know.

“We want to make sure that the key priorities for our community are achieved through the Community Strategic Plan, as its objectives guide all Council’s other strategies and plans,” Ms Martin said.

“For example, our Cultural Plan; Biodiversity Strategy; Integrated Transport Strategy; Recreation, Open Space and Community Strategy among others; these all flow from the Community Strategic Plan and detail the specific actions, timeframes, funding, and key partners we need to deliver it.”

Ms Martin encouraged the community to think ‘big picture’ when it came to providing feedback on the Community Strategic Plan.

“We want to know whether Council is on the right track to meet our community’s needs, now and into the future.”

Ms Martin said even if community feedback included a topic that Council is not directly responsible for delivering, it would still be taken into consideration.

“For example, if we received a lot of feedback about improved access to healthcare services, we could flow that information into our advocacy plans to show us where we can best partner with state and federal government, and into community strategies, such as advocating for or supporting programs for improved mental health or supporting initiatives to bring GPs to regional areas,” Ms Martin said.

“Once the community tells us what the key priorities are, we will look at what we can do to bring us closer to achieving them. Partnerships with other levels of government, along with individuals, industry and community organisations will be crucial to achieving our long-term goals.”

The Community Strategic Plan is supported by other strategies and plans which ensure the community’s long-term priorities and aspirations set out in the plan result in some form of measurable action, which is detailed in Council’s four-year Delivery Program and annual Operational Plans.

Council is committed to ensuring the Community Strategic Plan continues to reflect our community’s current priorities and aspirations for the future of Wagga Wagga.

“We’re inviting the community to take a look at all these plans, in particular the draft revised Community Strategic Plan, and give us feedback to guide what we’re delivering over the term, based on available resources.”

The draft revised Community Strategic Plan 2040, draft Delivery Program 2022/2026 and Annual Operational Plan 2022/2023; draft Fees and Charges 2022/2023; and draft Long-Term Financial Plan 2022/23 are on public exhibition until 4 June 2022.

To read the draft documents and make a submission, visit wagga.nsw.gov.au/csp2040