Thank you for providing feedback on the Community Engagement Policy.

• What we heard

We received 10 responses to the quick poll and 17 submissions to the survey. Of the 17 submissions, 11 respondents said they think the Policy will help guide best practice community engagement in Ballarat, two said they were unsure and need more information, and two said they didn't feel it would help.

• What's changed

All feedback in the submissions was considered, and the following changes were made to the Community Engagement Policy:

• Inclusion of the word 'transparency' in reference to how community engagement will be undertaken
• Inclusion of the word stakeholders in reference to enabling meaningful and relevant input into decision-making
• Ensuring the Policy included respectful consideration around cultural and social impact of the community when engaging
• Inclusion of direct mailouts as an example method of engagement

We’re reviewing the City of Ballarat’s Community Engagement Policy, which guides how Council involves the community in decision-making.

The current Policy was adopted in 2021 following community consultation, after changes to the Local Government Act (2020) required all councils to develop and maintain a formal engagement policy. It was built on our existing engagement practices and shaped by local feedback at the time.

We’re reviewing the Policy now to make sure it’s still relevant and reflects the goals of our newly elected Council.