1,700 reply to council consultation exercise

Strathfield Council has received over 1,700 responses for the Strathfield 2025  Survey - a questionnaire which will help chart the course of the municipality for the next decade and beyond, in one of the biggest community consultation exercises ever. 

Everyone aged 15 or over got the chance to voice their views by filling out the questionnaire and explain how they would like to see crucial questions dealt with up to 2025. 

Council will be hosting community forums, the first of which will be at the weekend.

Business leaders are also being consulted.

All results will be used to formulate Strathfield 2025, the council’s community strategic plan and blueprint for the next 13 years.

The issues involved will not just be confined to those areas dealt with by the council.

The survey and forums are a chance to raise matters dealt with by the state and federal governments, such as medical facilities, energy, crime, schools, business development, employment, recreation and leisure activities.

Two community forums lasting over two hours each will take place on Saturday and December 8.

Consultants and council officials will be on hand to hear and record people’s views.

In addition, a series of community conversations and individual meetings with community leaders will be conducted throughout December.

A website, www.strathfield2025.com.au, has been set up where residents can be kept up to date on the progress of schemes such as the local environmental plan.

Three residents - S Strugarek, S Vadali and D Kim - have won  16GB iPad 2 tablet computers valued at $729 each after filling out the questionnaires.

Strathfield Mayor Cr Paul Barron told the Scene: “Strathfield 2025 is the community’s opportunity to identify what’s important to them in their local area. 

We want to know what services and programs the community value, so we can gear ourselves to deliver these as effectively and efficiently as possible.

“But we’re not only seeking feedback on issues that are council specific; as part of this process, we also want to identify the importance of services and programs offered by state and federal governments that affect our local area.

“That way, we can ensure our area is considered in the future plans of all tiers of government.”

Residents have been asked questions from three sections: what issues are important to them; how successfully services are being provided; and a few personal details such as age, language spoken at home, property ownership and income.

Respondents were given two-choice answers and need only put an X in a box.

Once the responses are collated, a community strategic plan will be drawn up by July 2012.

The Local Government Act instructs councils to develop a strategy for at least the next decade and review it every four years. To ensure councils deliver, a 10-year financial plan must be established, including asset and workforce management, policies and projections.

Find out more at www.strathfield2025.com.au