Council adopts Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework

On Tuesday night, 13 June, Hawkesbury City Council resolved to adopt its 2017/18 Budget. In doing so, Council adopted a balanced budget that begins a program of allocating resources towards the priorities identified in the Community Strategic Plan The Hawkesbury 2036…Its Our Future.

The Hawkesbury Community Strategic Plan was prepared after extensive consultation with the community and was adopted by Council on Tuesday, 28 March 2017.

“Our community engagement was widespread, with nine Town Meetings and five Listening Kiosks across the Hawkesbury. The Hawkesbury Community Strategic Plan – The Hawkesbury 2036…Its Our Future, is an excellent representation of our community’s specific needs and plans for the future,” the Mayor said.

This Community Strategic Plan establishes an overarching framework based on the communities’ priorities and aspirations for the Hawkesbury. It also informs Council’s suite of Integrated Planning Documents – The Resourcing Strategy, The Delivery Program and The Operational Plan.

“Council plans and policies do not exist in isolation – they are inter-connected. For this reason, the Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework allows Council to bring its various plans together and to prepare wholistically and sustainably for the future,” the Mayor added.

The Delivery Program 2017-2021 and the Operational Plan 2017-2018 are documents that are required by the Local Government Act 1993 to identify ‘the Council’s activities for at least the current Council’s four year term of office and the Council’s revenue policy for the next year’. The Resourcing Strategy outlines Council’s resourcing commitments over the next 10 years to implement the responsibilities of the Community Strategic Plan.

At the end of the Council term in 2020, a report will be prepared by Council for the community to examine what progress was made towards the achievement of outcomes identified in the Community Strategic Plan.

All of the above documents can be downloaded from Council’s website www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au or in hard copy at Council’s Administration Building at 366 George Street, Windsor.

Background

At the commencement of its term of office, each new Council is required to review the Community Strategic Plan.

The Community Strategic Plan represents the highest level of strategic planning undertaken by a local council. All other plans developed by the council as part of the Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework must reflect and support the implementation of the Community Strategic Plan. The Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework documents are required by the Local Government Act 1993.

At the end of each Council term a report is prepared for the community to examine what progress was made towards the achievement of outcomes identified in the Community Strategic Plan.