We have adopted an updated Community Engagement Policy that will guide how we ask for our community’s views on projects that impact them. The Policy will ensure that engagement is meaningful, transparent and aligned to best practices.
The Policy highlights Council’s commitment to transparent and accessible engagement with the community, ensuring diverse communities are engaged and working together to build community trust in decision-making.
Six core principles
Our commitment to community engagement is underpinned by six core principles that guide the way Council plans and delivers engagement opportunities and activities, that include:
- Responsiveness
- Fairness
- Accountability
- Transparency and integrity
- Respect
- Human Rights.
Brimbank Mayor Cr Ranka Rasic said the Policy highlights Council’s commitment to transparent, accessible and meaningful engagement.
“We’re committed to a fair and transparent approach to engagement and ensuring all voices are heard when decisions are made.
“Through this policy, we want to ensure the community feel involved and valued and help shape the way we engage with the community in the future.”
“Thank you all who took the time to review the draft Policy and provide feedback – your input has helped shape the final Policy,” said Cr Rasic.
Under the Local Government Act 2020 (the Act), all Councils must adopt and maintain a community engagement policy that has been developed in consultation with community, and that gives effect to the community engagement principles listed in the Act. The former policy had been adopted in 2021 and work to update it started in 2023.
Council undertook a deliberative engagement process in 2023 with the Brimbank Community Panel to inform a full review and update of the Community Engagement Policy. Broader community consultation between 5 February to 3 March 2024, showed significant support of the draft Policy.
The final Policy articulates Council’s commitment to undertaking best practice community engagement to effectively inform decision-making processes. It provides guiding principles and approaches that are key to designing engagement opportunities for authentic community participation.
Read the Policy
To read the full Policy on the Council website click here.
