Attachments of Ordinary Council Meeting

ATTACHMENT No: 1 - 2015 July 20 - Assembly of Councillors - Public Record

Item 2

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ASSEMBLY OF COUNCILLORS – PUBLIC RECORD

Assembly Details:

Date: Monday 20 July 2015	Time: 6.00pm	Location: Meeting Room 4, Braeside Avenue, Ringwood
Attendees:

Councillors
Cr Tony Dib, JP	Cr Nora Lamont	Cr Les Willmott, JP
Cr Christina Gleeson	Cr Samantha Marks	Cr Liam Fitzgerald
Cr Natalie Thomas	Cr Mary-Anne Lowe	Cr Rob Steane

Council Officers:
Steve Kozlowski	Chief Executive Officer
Marianne Di Giallonardo	Director Corporate Services
Phil Turner	Director Planning & Community
Trevor Welsh	Director Operations, Infrastructure & Leisure
Sherryn Dunshea	Manager Communications & Marketing Item 2
Sue Kendall	Online Communications Advisor Item 2
Dale Muir	Manager Revenue, Property & Customer Service Item 4
Stephen Onans	Team Leader Governance

Others:

Meaghan Burridge	Consultant (mbos - mburridge online strategies) Item 2
Andrew Lannen	Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) Item 3
Apologies:
Councillors:	Nil
Council Officers:	Nil

Conflict of Interest Disclosure:
Councillors:	Nil
Council Officers:	Nil

Matters Discussed:		## Confidential Item

1	Council Meeting Agenda
2	CamNet Update & Presentation
3	Eastland Update
4	Realm Concierge Customer Service Model
5	Items of a General Nature as Raised by Councillors

Record completed by:

Council Officer	Stephen Onans
Title	Team Leader Governance

ATTACHMENT No: 2 - 2015 August 03 - Assembly of Councillors - Public Record

Item 2

2014 Maroondah Logo RGB.jpg

ASSEMBLY OF COUNCILLORS – PUBLIC RECORD

Assembly Details:

Date: Monday 3 August 2015	Time: 6.00 pm	Location: Aquanation

Attendees:

Councillors
Cr Tony Dib, JP	Cr Nora Lamont	Cr Les Willmott, JP
Cr Christina Gleeson	Cr Samantha Marks	Cr Liam Fitzgerald
Cr Natalie Thomas	Cr Mary-Anne Lowe	Cr Rob Steane

Council Officers:
Steve Kozlowski	Chief Executive Officer
Gradimir Konstantinovic	Acting Director Corporate Services
Phil Turner	Director Planning & Community
Trevor Welsh	Director Operations, Infrastructure & Leisure
Alan Ellis	Manager Finance & Governance Item 1
Elaine Matthews	Team Leader Waste & Special Projects Item 1
Wendy King	Manager Community Services Item 2 & 3
Adam Cooper	Team Leader Youth Services Item 2
Heather Cummings	Youth Planning & Policy Officer Item 2
Tanya Clarke	Program Manager Aged & Disability Services Item 3
Tim Cocks	Manager Leisure Items 4, 6 & 7
Joshua Burt	Team Leader Sports & Recreation Item 4
Renee Herps	Community Events Officer Item 4
Sherryn Dunshea	Manager Communications & Marketing Item 5
Jeanette Ingram	Sports & Recreation Planning & Policy Officer Item 7
Stephen Onans	Team Leader Governance

Apologies:
Councillors:	Nil
Council Officers:	Marianne Di Giallonardo, Director Corporate Services

Conflict of Interest Disclosure:
Councillors:	Cr Willmott: Item 1 Eastern Organics Update Reason: Cr Willmott is Chair of the Metropolitan Waste & Resource Recovery Group

Council Officers:	Nil

Matters Discussed:		## Confidential Item

1	Eastern Organics Update
2	Development of the Maroondah City Council Youth Plan 2016-2020
3	Active & Healthy Ageing Initiative
4	Suicide Prevention – Night of Light
5	Installation of Plaques
6	Community Sports Infrastructure Fund 2016/17
7	Community Grants Program Including Acknowledgement & Publicity Guidelines
8	Arts & Culture Community Grants Funding Program Update
9	Community Assistance Fund
10	Churchill Street Petition
11	Items of a General Nature as Raised by Councillors

Record completed by:

Council Officer	Stephen Onans
Title	Team Leader Governance

ATTACHMENT No: 2 - 2015 July 23 - Minutes - Maroondah Disability Advisory Committee

Item 3

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MAROONDAH DISABILITY

ADVISORY COMMITTEE (MDAC)

MINUTES

Thursday 23 July 2015 (PMR4)

1. PRESENT: Cr Liam Fitzgerald, Fiona Burridge (MCC), Liz Ellis, Michelle Egan, Noelene Greene, Jack Mulholland, Geoffrey Outhred, Norma Seip, Lisa Pirie (MCC - Minutes).

WELCOME AND APOLOGIES

Welcome: Cr Liam Fitzgerald welcomed all to the meeting.

Apologies: Cr Nora Lamont, Briere Kop, Josephine Craig, Yvonne Blinks, Katrina Blackmore, Rachel Lieske & Peter Smith.

2. Minutes & Conflicts of Interest

The Minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed. Moved: Geoffrey Seconded: Liz. There were no conflicts of interest declared.

3. Program of Works (Steven O’Brien & Ben Spiteri - MCC)

Maroondah DDA Program Allocation

Ben Spiteri presented to the group the Maroondah DDA program allocation works. These works are funded through Council’s Capital funding allocation. This sees a budget of $410K delivered over 2 financial years being 2015-2017.

Current projects were highlighted and the MDAC group were provided with key project elements. A copy of the presentation to be circulated to the MDAC group members. Action: Fiona Burridge

Geoffrey – How does Council receive the feedback from the community? Ben advised that this was made possible through groups such as MDAC but also that items were brought to their attention via other Council departments.

Liam – With 29 currently outstanding, is there a number of projects that are completed within a 12 month period? Ben advised that this can vary depending on the level of funding received however on average, 5-6 under normal circumstances. Also where possible, they try to piggy back on other projects to save money.

Jack – In speaking with other Councils, Jack believes that Maroondah achieves a significant amount and that our ideas are very flexible and practical. Jack suggested that at completion of a project, that Engineering Services advise him so that he can inform groups such as this one for the purpose of their mailing lists. Also Comms and Marketing is another avenue.

Norma agreed strongly with this recommendation as she believes people or groups may be avoiding certain parks, streets, or shopping precincts, based on previous inaccessibility issues. This is our chance to let the community know of our good work.

Norma also raised the issue of lack of appropriate night time parking at Radio Eastern FM located in Wyrena Community Centre. Council to investigate the possibility of allocating permit parking only for staff from 5pm. Action: Steve O’Brien

4. Disability Policy & Action Plan (Fiona Burridge)

Fiona provided an update on the Disability Policy & Action Plan which outlined a brief progress report. Given we are only 6 months into a 4 year plan; the response to date has been positive. Also working on the design of the Disability Policy and Action Plan 2014-2018 in line with the Maroondah 2040 Community Vision format.

Fiona mentioned that all MDAC members will soon be sent an invite to attend the Aquanation Soft Opening on the

4 August 2015. Members will be encouraged to come along and to try out the facilities and provide feedback.

Liam mentioned the Maroondah Carers Support Group (MCSG). It was noted that they area group for carers of people of all ages including the elderly and those with disabilities. It is a service provided by Council in conjunction with Eastern Access Community Health (EACH), Maroondah Social & Community Health. Activities include regular monthly meetings, a quarterly newsletter, guest speakers, social outings, information sharing and support.

Liam acknowledged the level of work achieved on the Disability Policy & Action Plan since December. He also suggested a second update for the first MDAC meeting in 2016. Action: Fiona Burridge

Noelene – Council are better placed with this Plan as there is a much greater awareness of disability.

A hard copy of the plan and action items was provided to those members at the meeting and an electronic copy to be provided post meeting with the minutes. Action: Fiona Burridge

5. Cap Works Program Update (Adam Todorov)

2015-16 Community Facility Accessibility Improvement Projects

Adam introduced himself to group members and provided the group with an overview of improvement projects to be implemented in the 2015-16 period. These include:

· Bedford Park Guide Hall

· Griff Hunt Rugby Pavilion

· Heathmont Tennis Pavilion

· Maroondah Montessori Pre-school

· North Ringwood Pre-school

· Peter Vergers Tennis Pavilion

· Wyreena – Catamore Hall

· Ringwood (AC Robertson) Athletics Pavilion

Geoffrey asked whether or not the original Ringwood Athletics grandstand was to remain with the renovation works. Adam explained that it would remain as is and it is not anticipated to be included in the Stage 1 works.

Jack - Once again the suggestion was made to make this information available to outside groups such as this so as community awareness is heightened.

Michelle Egan agreed and advised that people otherwise may not be aware of such improvements and therefore potentially missing out on using such facilities.

A copy of the presentation is available for any members that are interested.

6. Draft Community Engagement Policy (Phil Medley & Danielle Butcher MCC)

Phil spoke to the group about the Draft Community Engagement Policy. This policy was last reviewed in 2008 and given we are now in 2015, it’s time to see what we promised the community. This review has been a collaborative effort across several departments within Council.

This document will be on public exhibition until early August. A hard copy of this presentation is to be left with the group today, along with a questionnaire that Fiona will circulate prior to and separate to the meeting minutes being circulated. Any feedback would be particularly welcomed within 3 weeks and can be sent to Fiona Burridge.

Send link to group electronically prior to distribution of minutes. Action: Fiona Burridge

7. State Disability Plan 2017-2020 final submission (Jack Mulholland)

Given remaining time constraints of the meeting, Jack provided a very brief update to the group on the State Disability Plan final submission. Jack thanked the group for their input into the submission and ensured members that their information and input was utilised in constructing such. Jack also briefly mentioned the Everyone Everyday Program and a link for the program will be sent to all MDAC members.

Fiona Burridge to send a copy of the submission to MDAC members. Action: Fiona Burridge

The meeting closed at 12:00 pm.

ATTACHMENT No: 1 - Administration - Community Grants 2015/216 - Council Report Table

Item 2

2015/2016 Community Grant Funding Program

Name of Organisation	Name of Project	Amount Approved
AGED & DISABILITY
Yarrunga Retirees	Get with Technology and Activity	$ 1,000.00
Clocktower Day Club	Clocktower Day Club	$ 400.00
Enjoying Planned Retirement Inc	Provision of medium for visual presentation of EPR activity related events	$ 1,500.00
Migrants Information Centre (East Melb)	Heathmont Lodge Social and Recreational Program	$ 2,840.00
North Ringwood Senior Citizens Inc	Table Tennis Tables	$ 680.00
Ringwood Clocktower Probus Club	Archive Equipment and Supplies	$ 441.00
Ringwood East Senior Citizens Centre Inc	Carpet Bowls Mat Replacement	$ 1,000.00
Greek Elderly Citizens Club of Maroondah Inc	Progress 2015/2016	$ 500.00
Third Age Ringwood Inc (U3A Ringwood)	2015 Parkwood Community Hub Safety Equipment (Defibulator)m which is to remain the property of the Community Hub	$ 2,400.00
HERITAGE, ENVIRONMENT & COMMUNITY ARTS
Heathmont Uniting Church Community Lifestyle Centre	HE Parker Reserve Photography Competition & Display	$ 600.00
Maroondah Handicrafts Inc	Maroondah Handicrafts Looking to the Future	$ 2,500.00
Maroondah Interfaith Network	Harmony Day Concert	$ 1,500.00
Maroondah Singers	Maroondah Singers : Bringing	$ 2,200.00
Maroondah Symphony Orchestra Incorporated	Purchase of a 32 inch timpani (kettle drum) for Maroondah Symphony Orchestra	$ 1,000.00
Ringwood Art Society (RAS)	Ringwood Art Society Golden Jubilee	$ 1,660.00
Ringwood Ballet Group Inc.	The Nutcracker - Matinee Performance for the Community	$ 1,616.00
Mullum Mullum Festival	The Seventeenth Mullum Mullum Festival	$ 2,200.00
Vocal Vibes	Singing to benefit the singer and the listener	$ 2,000.00
CHILDREN
Greenwood Park Kindergarten	Acquire easels, home corner play equipment and chairs and tables for new teaching room	$ 3,000.00
Heathmont Kindergarten and Pre-school	Kitchen Appliances	$ 500.00
Interchange Outer East	Maroondah Young Families Day	$ 1,680.00

Name of Organisation	Name of Project	Amount Approved
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Anchor Inc	Drum It Pilot Program	$ 3,020.00
Australia Zo Organisation	AZO Office Relieve	$ 500.00
Dance Family	Arts Inspiration	$ 700.00
Glen Park Community Centre Inc	Safe & stackable seating and chair trolley	$ 1,920.00
Inclusive Music Theatre Inc	Rehearsal Space at MFE for 'All Abilities' Performers	$ 2,000.00
Safe Futures Foundation	Parenting After Violence - Group work sessions	$ 3,075.00
Stroke a Chord Choir	Annual Fundraising Concert	$ 1,600.00
Yarra Valley Bridge Club	Fit-out of New Clubrooms	$ 3,400.00
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Croydon Stroke Support Group	Yearly Rent	$ 1,000.00
MS Meet and Greet Group	Group Administration Costs	$ 500.00
Ringwood Parkinson's Disease Support Group	Public address system	$ 310.00
Ringwood Prostate Cancer Support Group Inc	Ringwood Prostate Cancer Support Group Inc	$ 500.00
EMERGENCY RELIEF
ADRA Australia (Vive Café)	Vive Café	$ 3,800.00
Croydon Uniting Church Helping Hand	Helping Hand Emergency Relief	$ 4,000.00
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Ringwood	Community Meal at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church	$ 1,300.00
Maroondah Citizens Advice Bureau Inc	Fridge & Freezer Ringwood Office	$ 2,500.00
Mullum Mullum Anglican Parish - Ringwood	Purchase of vertical double door chiller/freezer	$ 2,500.00
North Ringwood Care	North Ringwood Care - Perishable Food and Youth Support	$ 3,000.00
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Burnt Bridge Tennis Club Inc	Padding for Light Poles	$ 550.00
Chokhlei Tennis Club	Chin Tennis Tournament	$ 568.00
Maroondah Relay for Life	Maroondah Relay for Life 2015	$ 2,750.00
Maroondah Ultimate Frisbee	New Ultimate Frisbee Sports Club in Maroondah	$ 750.00
St Stephen's Community Living Centre	Restorative Yoga Program	$ 500.00
Victorian Electric Wheelchair Sports Assoc.	Court Hire for Electric Wheelchair Sports	$ 2,000.00
YOUTH
Fresh Theatre for Social Change	Third Place Theatre's performance of "Carrying home"	$ 5,000.00
Melba College	Melba Day - Standing Tall - Mentoring program	$ 2,500.00
Rotary Club of Ringwood Inc	Maroondah Schools ANZAC Service	$ 3,000.00

Name of Organisation	Name of Project	Amount Approved
ARTS & CULTURAL GRANTS SCHEME
Chin Community	Chin Community Victoria, Cultural Dance Course	$1100.00
Eastern Karen Community Association of Victoria	Cultural Dance and Music Lessons	$1100.00
Melbourne Welsh Male Choir	Singer of the Year Competition - Accessing a Wider Audience to come to the City of Maroondah	$1,000.00
OPUS Twenty One (LATE SUBMISSION)	Big Band By The Lake Concert Series	$4,285.00
Ringwood Heights Primary School	Tell Us a Story Ringwood Heights	$1,928.00
Studio4 Artists Inc	Forging Ahead in Figure Drawing - Three 1 day Master Classes	$1,500.00
UrbanLife Church Inc	Who is Welcome?	$4,800.00
Your DNA Creative Arts auspiced Eastern Volunteers Resource Centre	Maroondah City Council's All Inclusive Performance Festival	$4500.00

ATTACHMENT No: 1 - Draft Maroondah Community Engagement Policy 2015

Item 3

Maroondah City Council Community Engagement Policy

August 2015

Copy of MaroondahCityCouncilLogo.bmp

Policy Control Schedule

Policy Title:

Community Engagement Policy

Policy No:

IP-001

Policy type:

Council Policy

Policy creation date:

May 2015

Current version adopted: TBC

Current version number:

Policy review date:

June 2019

Parent policy:

None

Child policy/policies:

None

Policy responsibility:

Manager Integrated Planning

TRIM record number:

15/125363

All printed copies of this procedure are uncontrolled. Please check SmartNet for the most recent version of this policy.

What is the purpose of this policy?

This Community Engagement Policy is a formal expression of Council’s commitment to engaging the Maroondah community through the use of appropriate, effective and inclusive practices.

Council is committed to engaging effectively with its community in a meaningful, accountable, responsive and equitable way. This policy outlines Council’s position, role and commitments to ensure community engagement is integrated into Council activities to support decision making, build relationships and strengthen communities. Often engagement processes support two or all three of these objectives.

The Policy also seeks to improve Council’s engagement processes and outcomes through encouraging a consistent approach and continual learning through evaluation, and through expanding the range of engagement methods used.

The community engagement policy should be applied at the planning stage of any project or initiative, when a change in service, activities or infrastructure is considered, when an issue is raised and requires a decision or when more information or evidence is required. Engagement may be required at multiple stages within a project, program or development.

Community engagement is the responsibility of all Council service areas, teams and employees. To ensure the effective application of engagement principles and processes, a A Community Engagement Toolkit will be developed to provide guidance for Council employees.

What is community engagement?

Community engagement is defined as the range of opportunities for public involvement in Council decision-making, relationship building and community strengthening. Community engagement is achieved when the community is and feels part of a process.

Some community engagement processes are undertaken to support decision making, some are about relationship building whilst others are focused on community strengthening (or capacity building). Often engagement processes support two or all three of these objectives.

Inform decision making

To provide opportunities for the community to contribute to decision making process

Build relationships

To build relationships and/or improve relationships with the community

Strengthen community

To build the capacity of the community on a specific theme or issue to increase knowledge or change behaviours

Council, key stakeholders and the wider community engage with each other at different levels along a spectrum of increasing involvement. The process of community engagement is a dynamic one which means there is likely to be movement back and forth through the different levels as an engagement process is implemented.

The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) has developed the Public Participation Spectrum to demonstrate the possible types of engagement with stakeholders and communities. The spectrum below has been amended from IAP2, and shows the increasing level of community and Council involvement from the ‘inform’ end of the spectrum through to the ‘empower’ end of the spectrum.

The table below identifies each of these five levels of engagement and clearly outlines the amount of involvement from both the Council and stakeholders/community within each level. The table also the role of community members and/or stakeholders.



Goal	One way communication to provide balanced and objective information to assist understanding about something that is going to happen or has already happened.	Two way communication process aimed at obtaining feedback on ideas, alternatives and proposals to inform our decision making.	Participatory process designed to help identify issues and views to ensure that concerns and aspirations are understood and considered.	Working together to develop an understanding of all issues and interests to work out alternatives and identify preferred collective solutions.	To build the capacity of the community to lead their own plans for change.
Role of community and/or stakeholders	Listen	Contribute	Participate	Partner	Lead
Examples when this engagement level may be appropriate	E.g. In the event of an emergency	E.g. Undertaking a survey on playground redevelopment	E.g. Seeking input from the Maroondah Environment Advisory Committee on sustainability initiatives and plans	E.g. Stakeholder led discussions on developing community vision key directions	E.g. Building capacity skills of small business employees through skills-based training
Possible methods	• Advertisements • Fact sheets • Newsletter • Public Notices • Social media • Websites	• Focus groups • Public exhibition • Surveys	• Workshops • Deliberate voting on options • Advisory committees	• Consensus building • Participatory decision making • Participant led workshops	• Facilitation of networks • Practical skills workshops • Training events

Adapted from: Bang the Table (2014). What is community engagement, exactly? Available at: http://bangthetable.com/what-is-community-engagement/,

Our commitment to the community

Council’s Community Engagement Policy is built upon a set of commitments that guide the planning, development, implementation, evaluation and continuous improvement of community engagement processes undertaken by Council.

These commitments are built upon the core values identified by the International Association for Public Participation^{^[1]} and will be undertaken in accordance with Council’s Privacy Policy.^{^[2]}

When engaging the community we will be open and accountable in our decision making process. Council commits that:

1. We will ensure that the purpose of our engagement is clear, relevant and the methods used are well suited to generate highly effective community engagement.

2. We will provide information that is clear, easy to understand and accessible to all people.

3. We will proactively engage with our community in an ethical manner using a range of methods and enable everyone to have a voice on matters of importance to them. We will provide engagement opportunities that are mutually respectful, undertaken in reasonable timeframes and with a shared understanding of how the input will inform decision making processes.

4. We will value all participants’ knowledge, expertise and experiences, acknowledging that everyone has different views and needs.

5. We will undertake evaluation processes to continually improve our approach to community engagement.

6. We will report back to our community in a timely manner about how their input was considered and influenced the final outcome.

7. We will use information provided by community engagement to advocate on behalf of our community to relevant parties.

Why we engage...

Community engagement is a collaborative process that connects Council with the community in a mutually beneficial sharing of new ideas, skills, knowledge, expertise and experience.

Effective community engagement has real benefits for both Council and the community. Better identifying the priorities, needs and aspirations of our community will assist Council to improve its strategic planning and service delivery. A regular two-way conversation ensures Council is transparent, accountable and informed in its decision making which will demonstrate integrity and build trust within the community.

Where appropriate, engagement should go above and beyond legislative requirements. The information and knowledge gained through hearing a range of community perspectives assists Council to make informed decisions; develop strong partnerships and create sustainable outcomes.

The community also benefit from participating in engagement activities. Participating in engagement on matters that impact them can create a sense of belonging and connection; increase community involvement; unite and empower individuals and communities; and lead to a greater community ownership and resilience.

The knowledge, expertise and experience gained also provides Council with a foundation to advocate to other relevant parties, including Federal and State Government bodies, on issues of community importance which are out of its direct control.

In summary there are a broad range of benefits to effective and authentic community engagement, both to Council and to the community.

Some of these benefits include:

1. Increasing community involvement and connections

2. Developing strong relationships and partnerships with our community, leading to a shared understanding of our community’s needs, aspirations and priorities

3. Meeting legislative requirements^{^[3]}

4. Providing a valuable source of evidence-based information which gives a wider perspective on issues and supports Council’s future planning and service delivery activities

5. By supporting transparency and accountability, integrity is demonstrated and trust built between all parties

6. Ensuring the community’s right to assist with democratic processes

7. Ensuring informed decision making occurs and issues are addressed

8. Helping to inform and assist with advocacy

9. Leading to more sustainable outcomes

10. Building community resilience and capacity leading to community empowerment

Who we engage

Maroondah is a diverse community with a mix of people from all walks of life, with unique interest groups. Everyone has a role to play in our community so it is important that our engagement methods are accessible and broad reaching.

For the purpose of this policy:

· the Maroondah community is defined as individuals or groups who live, work, play, visit, study, invest in or pass through Maroondah. They could share a geographical location; characteristic or interest.

· the term ‘stakeholder’ defines our community groups or individuals who are directly impacted by, involved with, or interested in, Council’s decision making, relationship building or community strengthening processes.

Each person within our community has the potential to be a stakeholder in Council’s engagement activities.

In Maroondah, some of the stakeholder groups include:

• Arts and culture community

• Business and industry

• Carers

• Chamber of commerce

• Children

• Community service providers

• Commuters

• Emergency services

• Environmental groups

• Families

• Government departments

• Heritage groups

• Indigenous community

• Lesbian. gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community

• Local, State and Federal MPs

• Maroondah City Council employees

• Mayor and Councillors

• Media

• Neighbouring Councils or other local government organisations

• Not for profit organisations and groups

• People experiencing homelessness

• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

• People with a disability

• Public transport user groups

• Ratepayers

• Residents

• Schools, education facilities and students

• Seniors/senior groups

• Service groups

• Sporting, leisure and recreational clubs and groups

• Students

• Visitors to Maroondah

• Volunteers/ volunteer organisations

• Young people

When we engage

Community engagement should take place at the planning stage of any project or initiative, when a change in service, activities or infrastructure is considered, when an issue is raised and requires a decision or when more information or evidence is required. Engagement is likely to be undertaken at multiple stages within a project, program or development.

Circumstances that trigger engagement activities

Council will promote opportunities for the community to actively participate in the following Council processes:

· where a proposed change to Council activities or strategic direction may significantly affect the community in terms of the economy, lifestyle, environment, wellbeing or amenity of the municipality

· when developing new or reviewing existing policies, strategies or plans

· introducing a new service, discontinuing an existing service or substantially changing or reviewing a service that may significantly affect how services are provided

· proposals for changing the way in which public space looks, is used or enjoyed

· the community raises an issue with Council for a decision (or outcome) and there are likely to be competing community interests

· planning and development of major projects and capital works, including public buildings, centres or other infrastructure

· urban development/redevelopment proposals, such as structure plans, that may significantly alter the existing amenity or characteristics of an geographic area.

· any circumstance where Council needs more information or evidence to make an informed decision.

Mandatory engagement

Whilst the Local Government Act 1989 and a range of other legislation set out minimum requirements for some specific consultations, each engagement process needs to be considered on its individual basis and merits. In many instances Council will go above and beyond the minimum requirements to gain a strong understanding of our community’s wants and needs to ensure we are achieving the best possible outcomes for our community.

Some of these specific matters include:

• setting councillor and mayoral allowances

• adopting the Council Plan

• making a local law

• changing the council’s system of land valuations for council rates

• adopting the Annual Budget

• declaring a special rate or a special charge

• selling, exchanging or leasing land

• entering into a regional library agreement

• deviating or discontinuing a road

• making amendments to the Planning Scheme or deliberating on planning applications under the Planning and Environment Act 1987

• development of the Municipal Public Health Plan (Council’s Community Wellbeing Plan).

The community engagement activities of Maroondah City Council are certainly not limited to these matters.

Circumstances where Council’s engagement with the community will be limited

There are times when Council’s level of engagement with the community and key stakeholders will be limited. In certain circumstances, Council may only be able to inform the community and stakeholders of Council’s decisions and actions.

Examples include when:

· an immediate resolution is required

· technical or other expertise is required

· an initiative involves confidential or commercial information
there are clear and defined legislative responsibilities that must be met

· developing or reviewing internal policies and procedures

· Council is responding to an emergency

· there is a risk to public safety

Influencing Council decision making

Where decision making is the purpose of a community engagement process, it must be identified that the final decision rests with Maroondah City Council.

Good governance is based on a belief that those impacted by a decision may have important contributions to make in a decision-making process. In planning a community engagement process, Council will determine at which levels they will engage and what corresponding commitment they will make to stakeholders and/or the community. This decision is likely to impact the nature and methods of engagement.

ATTACHMENT No: 1 - Draft Maroondah Community Engagement Policy 2015

Item 3

How we engage

There is no one-size fits all approach to community engagement activities. A variety of methods will be required to cater for the different purposes of engagement as well as the broad range of groups and individuals in the community.

Plan

The planning stage is critical to ensuring a successful and authentic engagement process. During this stage we will understand, outline and gain agreement on:

· why are we engaging (purpose),

· what are we trying to achieve through the process (engagement objectives),

· how will results be used (engagement outcomes),

· who we want to engage with (stakeholder analysis)

· at what level do we wish to engage

· how we will engage (engagement methods)

· when do we wish to engage (timeframe)

During this stage, it is also important to consider the monitoring and evaluation steps that will be embedded into the process.

Those undertaking the community engagement activity will do so in a non judgemental and respectful way. They will follow the engagement principles as outlined in the ‘Our Commitments’ section. The following steps should be considered to ensure the activity is successful.

1. Decide on the most appropriate ways of informing the community/target group of the planned engagement activity

2. Organise resources including who will conduct the engagement, and the organisation of venues and catering. It is also important to consider specific needs such as transport, childcare and translation services.

3. Invite previously identified stakeholders to participate in engagement activity.

4. Provide information to participants in jargon free, clear English. Use case studies or examples to assist with explaining the initiative .Provide translations if required

5. Conduct the engagement activity

6. Promptly provide any specific feedback for other areas of Council to ensure that urgent issues are dealt with according to our customer service charter.

Share

Following the engagement process we will report back to the community the results and outcomes of the engagement process. This will be done in a timely, accessible and informative manner so that participants understand how their involvement influenced the process, and therefore the outcome or decision.

If the engagement process is lengthy it is important that we regularly report on the project’s development to ensure the community remain engaged.

Evaluate

Evaluation of the engagement process will be planned at the beginning of the project so we are aware of what the outcome will be measured against. Evaluation will be continuous so that the engagement process can be adjusted should an aspect not be working well. The engagement process will be reviewed at the end to ensure we understand what happened and why. We will reflect on what did and didn’t work objectively and realistically then produce an evaluation report to share observations and recommendations.

Improve

We will take the lessons learnt throughout the project capturing them in an accessible format. Ideas for improvement of engagement will be shared across the organisation and and inform future versions of this policy and Council’s broader engagement framework.

Supporting information

Definitions

Advocacy

Public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.

Community

Includes individuals or groups who live, work, play, study, visit, invest in or pass through the municipality.

Community consultation

This is a form of community engagement that relates to the tools and practices used by Council to enable public involvement in decisions and actions that shape the community.

Community engagement

Refers to the range of opportunities for public involvement in Council decision making, relationship building and community strengthening. Community engagement is achieved when the community is and feels part of a process.

Community strengthening

Community strengthening refers to a sustained effort of building cohesive and inclusive communities. This process aims to increase the connectedness, active engagement and partnership among members of the community, community groups and organisations in order to enhance social, economic and environmental wellbeing.

Ethical

Adherence to moral principles and conduct in undertaking a process or activity

IAP2

The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) is an international organisation advancing the practice of public participation. IAP2 supports people who implement or participate in public decision-making processes.

Plan

A plan outlines a detailed future course of action for Council aimed at achieving specific goals or objectives within a specific timeframe. A plan should identify roles and responsibilities along with resources that are required.

Policy

A policy sets out Council’s views with respect to a particular matter. It includes a set of principles or rules that provide a definite direction for the organisation.

Responsible governance

Effective processes for making and implementing decisions.

Strategy

A strategy provides high level holistic directions for Council designed to bring about a desired future, such as achievement of one or more goals or outcomes.

IAP2 Core Values

The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) is an international organisation advancing the practice of public participation. The IAP2 framework is underpinned by seven core values that are aimed at ensuring organisations make better decisions which reflect the interests and concerns of potentially affected people and entities. These values are:

1. Public participation is based on the belief that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process.

2. Public participation includes the promise that the public’s contribution will influence the decision.

3. Public participation promotes sustainable decisions by recognizing and communicating the needs and interests of all participants, including decision makers.

4. Public participation seeks out and facilitates the involvement of those potentially affected by or interested in a decision.

5. Public participation seeks input from participants in designing how they participate.

6. Public participation provides participants with the information they need to participate in a meaningful way.

7. Public participation communicates to participants how their input affected

Roles and responsibilities

Community engagement is the responsibility of all Council service areas, teams and employees as appropriate to their role and function. Engagement of the community should be a core process considered by Council in the delivery of any service, development of any project or building of any relationship. The effective application of principles and processes outlined in this policy is effectively the responsibility of line management across the breadth of Council service areas and teams.

Related legislation

The objectives, roles and functions of local government in Victoria are governed by the Local Government Act 1989 (Vic.). Section 3C(3) of this Act states six core roles of a Council, being:

· acting as a representative government by taking into account the diverse needs of the local community in decision making

· providing leadership by establishing strategic objectives and monitoring their achievement

· maintaining the viability of the Council by ensuring that resources are managed in a responsible and accountable manner

· advocating the interests of the local community to other communities and governments

· acting as a responsible partner in government by taking into account the needs of other communities

· fostering community cohesion and encouraging active participation in civic life.

Clearly, the engagement of the community is indispensable to Council’s achievement of all six roles.

Local councils in Victoria are legally required to conduct public consultation through a prescribed process on a range of specific matters as outlined under the ‘When we engage’ section of this policy.

Providing information to and seeking feedback from the community about key local issues will also ensure that Council complies with the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities 2006 (Vic.), particularly section 15 (Freedom of Expression) and section 18 (Taking Part in Public Life) of the Charter.

As a public authority, Council has an obligation to act in a way that is compatible with the human rights enshrined in the Charter.

Related policies, strategies, procedures and guidelines

All of Council’s strategic documents are linked to an Integrated Planning Framework. This framework seeks to ensure that all of Council’s activities and resources are aligned in order to meet the aspirations, needs and expectations of the Maroondah community.

Community engagement is a core process that underpins this Integrated Planning Framework and ensures that community needs and aspirations are considered in developing and implementing Council’s strategic directions and priorities.

Relationship to the Maroondah 2040 Community Vision

Community engagement processes support all of the delivery of all outcome areas identified in the Maroondah 2040 Community Vision.

In particular, principles and processes of community engagement outlined in this policy are aligned with:

Community Outcome:

A well governed and empowered community

Key Directions:

8.7 Ensure that all community members have access to, and are informed on, matters

that affect them, including the provision of tailored information for under-represented

and hard-to-reach groups

8.8 Undertake inclusive engagement and consultation using accessible and tailored

approaches to consider the needs and aspirations of different age and population

groups

8.9 Create opportunities for shared decision making through active community involvement

8.10 Work in partnership to advocate for and champion the needs and aspirations of the community to other levels of government, service providers and the business sector

8.11 Foster a Council culture of collaboration and partnerships with individuals, community groups, businesses, service providers and other levels of government

8.13 Encourage individuals, groups and organisations to proactively connect with and contribute to their local community

8.14 Work in partnership to deliver services that recognise and are responsive to the interests and needs of the community

Priority Actions

Establish a best practice community engagement framework and build the capacity of Council and its partners

Council is committed to protecting the personal privacy of residents and ratepayers. To provide services, all

Councils are required to collect and use personal, confidential and sensitive information of individuals.

Maroondah is required to balance the rights of individuals to have controls over the use of their personal

information to that of ensuring that the right information is available for services to operate and function.

Maroondah City Council has adopted a Privacy Policy to regulate the use and access by Council to the

personal information and health information that it collects from both its residents and clients. This policy applies to all community engagement activities undertaken by Council.

This policy was last revised in July 2009 and is available on Council website: http://www.maroondah.vic.gov.au

[1] The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) is an international organisation advancing the practice of public participation.

[2] See ‘Supporting Information’ section for more details on Council’s Privacy Policy

[3] Please see page 9 for further details on mandatory legislative engagement requirements