Community Plans have the potential to set the strategic vision and targets for outcomes, and establish priorities, goals and indicators of success for Council that represent the community’s views, visions and values for the Local Government area for the next 10 years or more. Community Plans may also identify the specific actions, roles and responsibilities to realise the vision.
Community Plans can also be used to practically inform Council’s corporate plan, long-term financial plan and long-term asset management plan, as well as strategic land use planning, priority infrastructure plans and planning scheme development.
There are four themes which can be considered in the development of a Community Plan:
- social wellbeing—planning for the development of the community’s shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviours, diversity, social infrastructure, access, mobility and identity reflected through language, stories, experiences, visual and performing arts, ceremonies, culture and cultural heritage
- economic development—planning for the development of the economy’s capacity to generate employment and wealth for social and personal wellbeing
- environmental management—planning for the sustainability of the natural environment in relation to activities that constitute community life within changing settlement patterns, natural resources and the landscape, infrastructure and services
- governance—planning to improve the capacity of Council to deliver accountable, effective, efficient and sustainable services, particularly the community plan
Council may also choose to address other themes.
Active healthy communities can be included in community planning by:
- gathering background data and information on the health and wellbeing of the local community as part of the community engagement process
- engaging with the community and gathering their perspectives and ideas on how they want their community to look in the future to support their social and personal wellbeing
- incorporating health and wellbeing within the vision and/or community goals for the Local Government area
- specifying outcomes and strategies to reach active healthy community visions of community members
- considering the roles and responsibilities of the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments, community groups and partnerships in delivering on the health and wellbeing for the Local Government area
- considering the potential impact of the Community Plan on the Council’s asset management plans and forward financial forecasts
- coordinating existing policies and documents related to active healthy communities
- coordinating exiting programs, projects and responsibilities related to active healthy communities
- including active healthy communities performance indicators in the Community Plan.