Community Planning
Dahlenburg & Morrison (2009) demonstrated what social research supports, namely the importance and benefits of engaging our communities more collaboratively (than previously) when planning and designing ‘locally appropriate solutions’ in our transition to Water Sensitive Cities.
Click to view larger imageUsing two community engagement examples of the Botany Bay Water Quality Improvement Plan and the Cooks River Sustainability Initiative (underpinned by Marrickville Council’s USWIM Guideline); the authors show the interplay between and the influence of community engagement on building Institutional and Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) capacity.
The Integrated Planning and Reporting amendments to the Local Government Act, 1993 being considered by the NSW Department of Local Government will change existing strategic planning and reporting requirements (including Community Strategic Plans) for NSW councils. This provides a great opportunity for the incorporation and prioritisation of WSUD (and other NRM priorities) into organisational corporate planning and reporting schemes; driving responsibility thereabouts, through all levels of council operations.
The Local Government and Shires Association in conjunction with the University of Technology Sydney’s Centre for Local Government drafted a suite of documents to assist council’s in this regard and is entitled Integrating NRM into Corporate Planning and Reporting.
Additional information available via the following websites, may also assist.
Centre for Water Sensitive Cities Read More >
Community Builders Read More >
UTS Centre for Local Government – Online Library Read More >