Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Community Engagement Strategy explains how Council engages with our community and stakeholders when decisions are being planned or made and there is an opportunity for community input. 

It explains:

• when and why Council engages
• how engagement approaches are chosen
• who we engage with and how inclusion is considered
• how community input is used and reported back.

Not every decision can involve engagement. In some cases, legal, safety, operational or confidentiality requirements apply, or decisions are made by Councillors under their delegated roles.

No, not every decision involves community engagement. Some matters are operational, urgent, confidential, or set by legislation, and cannot be changed through consultation.

Many Council decisions are made by our Councillors, who have been elected by the community to make decisions on behalf of the community. In doing so, Councillors consider a range of information, including community feedback, professional advice, legal obligations and financial constraints.

Where engagement does occur, this Strategy aims to ensure the process is clear, meaningful and proportionate, so people understand what they are being asked about, how their feedback will be considered, and what can and can’t be influenced.

All feedback received during the exhibition period will be reviewed and considered before the Strategy is finalised.

Your feedback will help Council:

• understand whether the Strategy is clear and easy to follow
• identify any gaps or areas that need to be explained better
• confirm whether the approach reflects our community's expectations
• and strengthen the final Strategy (to be updated following this exhibition period) before it is considered for approval and adoption at a future Council Meeting.

A summary of the feedback received, and any changes made, will also be reported to Council as part of the adoption process.

This Strategy was last reviewed, exhibited and the final version updated in 2023.

The previous consultation page can be viewed here: Draft Community Engagement Strategy | Join the Conversation - Sutherland Shire Council 

Council is updating the Strategy because the current version is due for review this year, with the existing version current to 2026.

Regular review also provides an opportunity to ensure the Strategy:

• reflects current legislation and best‑practice engagement approaches
• responds to community expectations about transparency and participation
• strengthens Council’s commitment to inclusive and accessible engagement
• provides clearer guidance for both the community and Council staff.

Updating the Strategy helps ensure Council’s approach to engagement remains relevant, consistent and fit‑for‑purpose into the future.

The draft Strategy includes several updates to strengthen how Council engages with the community. Key changes include:

• updates to Council’s Community Participation Plan (CPP) to align with current legislative requirements. The NSW Government recently proposed a state-wide CPP that is currently on exhibition until June 2026
• clearer explanations of when and how the community can participate
• a stronger focus on early planning for engagement, not just consultation
• clearer roles and responsibilities for Council and the community
• strengthened commitments to inclusive and accessible engagement
• more detail for feedback loops, to make clear how input is considered.

To support transparency, a version of the draft Strategy with a marked‑up summary of changes on each page is available in the Documents section of this exhibition webpage. This shows what has changed from the current Strategy and highlights updates to the CPP requirements.

The Community Engagement Strategy and the Community Participation Plan (CPP) work together, but they have different roles:

• the Community Engagement Strategy sets Council’s overall approach to engaging with the community across a wide range of plans, projects and decisions where there is an opportunity for community input. It explains our principles, commitments, and how we aim to involve people fairly and inclusively.
• the Community Participation Plan (CPP) sets out how planning authorities will engage with their communities across their statutory planning functions such as development applications, planning proposals and strategic policies etc. The minimum requirements for community participation are outlined in Schedule 1 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act).
  

Together, these documents support transparency, clarity and meaningful participation, and aim to help people understand when and how they can be involved, depending on the type of decision being made.

Recent changes to the CPP
The NSW Government have recently proposed a single, state‑wide framework for planning participation.  

When Council last reviewed the Community Engagement Strategy in 2023, the existing CPP requirements were incorporated into that document. In principle, keeping the CPP as a separate document allows Council to:

• stay aligned with State‑led planning requirements as they change, and
• maintain the Community Engagement Strategy as a broader guide for engagement across all Council activities.

The proposed state‑wide CPP is currently on public exhibition, and both Council and the community can provide feedback between 8 April and 3 June 2026.

Council has established a working group to review the proposed changes and prepare a submission on behalf of Council.

Council recognises the importance of tailored and culturally appropriate approaches to engagement, particularly where there are distinct rights, interests or lived experiences to be respected.

As part of our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), Council has committed to develop and implement an engagement plan to work with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations. This commitment is being progressed by the Community Impact and Innovation team, in partnership with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and the Community Engagement team.

The Community Engagement Strategy provides the organisation‑wide framework and principles that guide how Council plans and delivers engagement. Where future projects across Council relate to community engagement, they will align with this Strategy and Council’s broader community engagement framework.

Importantly, this Strategy does not prescribe or pre‑empt the design or outcomes of individual initiatives. Instead, it establishes the shared principles, expectations and governance that support culturally appropriate, respectful and collaborative engagement with all stakeholders, consistent with Council’s strategic and legislative commitments.

Council recognises the importance of accessibility and inclusion in engagement and we are committed to continuously improving in this area to make engaging as easy as possible for all in our community.

Our team are available to:

• assist with understanding the documents
• provide alternative formats, on request
• arrange interpreter support, where needed.

A printable copy of our consultation FAQs is available to download, should you prefer to.

Once the updated Strategy is adopted, Council will explore additional changes to accessible options for the document, including simplified and translated versions of the Strategy to help make it easier for more people in the community to understand and engage with.

If you need support to provide feedback during the exhibition, please contact the Community Engagement team on:

Email: engagement@ssc.nsw.gov.au
Phone: 02 9710 0957 

Registering on the Join the Conversation website helps Council ensure that feedback is collected in a fair, reliable and transparent way.

Having registered users allows Council to:

• protect the integrity of the feedback by reducing duplicate or automated responses
• ensure each response is counted once, so results accurately reflect community views
• maintain confidence in the data used to inform Council decisions and reporting
• meet governance and reporting requirements for community engagement activities.

Registering also provides some optional benefits:

• you can receive updates about current and future engagement opportunities
• you can easily return to view or participate in other consultations on the site.

Your personal details are managed in accordance with Council’s privacy obligations, and you can opt out of updates at any time. Your feedback is still considered even if you choose not to receive communications.

Your privacy is important to us. It is protected by both Council and our online engagement provider, Granicus, which delivers the Join the Conversation platform.

Council will:

• only use your email address to provide updates or invite you to participate in consultations if you choose to opt in during registration
• not share your personal details with third parties or use them for any other purpose
• manage your information in-line with applicable privacy laws and Council policies.

Granicus is also required to handle your information in accordance with privacy and security requirements.

You can read more about how your information is collected, stored and used by reviewing Council’s Privacy Policy, available on our website.