Amended Community Engagement Protocol (incorporating the Community Participation Plan)

Council's Community Engagement Protocol was readopted on 25 November 2019, following a public exhibition period (refer to Council Report - Item 17 in document library). The Protocol was updated to satisfy the legislative requirement for all NSW councils to prepare a community participation plan under Part 2, Division 2.6 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) and to meet pending changes to the Local Government Act 1993 with respect to community engagement.

BACKGROUND

On 26 August 2019 Council resolved:

1. THAT the amended Community Engagement Protocol be endorsed to be placed on public exhibition for a minimum of 28 days.
2. THAT the proposed amendment to North Sydney Development Control Plan 2013 to repeal Section 4 to Part A be endorsed to be placed on public exhibition for a minimum of 28 days, concurrent with the amended Community Engagement Protocol.
3. THAT the amended Community Engagement Policy be endorsed to be placed on public exhibition for a minimum of 28 days, concurrent with the amended Community Engagement Protocol.

Since 2013, Council has had in place a Community Engagement Protocol. Council staff use the Protocol to prepare a project-specific ‘community engagement strategy’ for each key projects/decisions. Including to develop a community engagement strategy for the Community Strategic Plan Review as required under section 402 of the Local Government Act 1993.

Council's Protocol has been updated to:

• ensure that its community engagement framework remains consistent with industry best practice;
• integrate the legislative requirement under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) for Council to have in place a Community Participation Plan (CPP) by 1 December 2019; and
• meet pending changes to the LG Act with respect to community engagement.

Until now, community engagement relating to statutory planning functions under the EP&A Act, have been exempt from Council’s Protocol, as these were detailed in Council’s Development Control Plan (DCP) or just referred to under the relevant legislative provisions of the EP&A Act and its associated Regulation. However, recent amendments to the EP&A Act which came into force in July 2018 require all councils to prepare a CPP for planning related functions.

In particular, the intent of the CPP is to make it clearer and easier for community members to understand how they can participate in planning decisions. The CPP must set out how planning authorities will engage with their communities across their statutory planning functions (e.g. development applications, local environmental plans, development control plans etc). Whilst a CPP must meet the minimum requirements set out in Schedule 1 of the EP&A Act, planning authorities can go beyond the minimum requirements if they decide it is appropriate.

Following adoption of the Community Engagement Protocol it is intended that the Section 4 to Part A of the DCP be repealed.

Feedback closed 5pm, Thursday 3 October 2019.