For the development of its new Strategic Plan, a plan set to guide the Council from 2022-2027, Roper Gulf Regional Council took on a new approach to the development of the publication and rolled out an extensive community consultation process across the entire Roper Gulf region.
The Strategic Plan is a document that provides a road map to guide the Council in the direction it wishes to take over the next five years and sets the framework for Council decision making and reporting.
In previous years, the initial development process was carried out in a more traditional manner by the Executive Management Team and senior staff members who worked together to brainstorm the Council’s priorities and strategies.
This was followed by community meetings to discuss the first draft with constituents and gather feedback, however attendance to these meetings was often poor.
This year, for the first time in Council’s history, the initial stage of the development process involved gathering direct feedback from the people of the Roper Gulf region through an extensive community consultation process.
Council engaged with an external consulting team who travelled the region for a number of weeks, hosting community barbeques or setting up one-on-one or group interviews to discuss each person’s priorities for the community and their expectations of the Council.
It is through this direct community consultation process that the Council has put together the Strategic Plan 2022-2027, with almost 400 people from the Roper Gulf region providing feedback and ideas.
This represents approximately 5% of the region’s population.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Marc Gardner is confident that this direct consultation with constituents will show greater accuracy in the development of Council’s strategies and will be highly valued by the people who the Roper Gulf Regional Council serves.
“The direct consultation was a targeted approach, using demographic-based consultation methods that led to the identification of highly relevant community needs and practical strategies that Council can implement”, Mr Gardner said.
The first draft of the Strategic Plan 2022-2027 was developed by the consulting team and was recently shared online for final public consultation of the document in its official form.
The feedback received in the public consultation period is currently being reviewed and the document will be finalised and implemented by the end of the 2021/22 financial year.
Mayor Tony Jack was happy to see the initial development process reviewed and improved this year.
“It is great to see a Strategic Plan that has been developed directly from the people who matter to us most – our people, our communities, our staff and our stakeholders.
“Thank you to everyone who took the time to speak to the Strategic Plan consultants and thank you for telling us what your community priorities are.
“Each Council decision that is made from here on out will be a direct reflection of your feedback and ideas and we are very grateful to have this Plan as our guide”, said Mayor Jack.
The Strategic Plan 2022-2027 will be made available to the public once the final document has been approved by the Council.
ENDS
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