Advocacy is how Council represents the interests of our community beyond the services we directly deliver. It involves identifying key regional needs and working with other levels of government, business and community partners to influence decisions, attract funding and support outcomes that benefit our region.
While Council has direct responsibility for many local services, there are key areas like health, education, transport and community safety, where Council has a limited or no delivery role. In these cases, our role may be to advocate, partner or support in order to deliver the outcomes our community expects.
This includes issues such as the condition, capacity and safety of state-owned roads within our region. Although these roads fall outside Council’s control, they are critical to local transport, freight and emergency access. We work closely with Transport for NSW and other stakeholders to seek upgrades, maintenance and long-term planning that reflect current and future needs.
Our advocacy efforts are shaped by long-term planning and extensive engagement with the community. The most significant of these is our Community Strategic Plan – Imagine2050, which outlines our shared vision:
To become the most liveable, sustainable and innovative place in Australia.