In community engagement, your feedback is a way for you to share your thoughts and ideas on a particular issue or project. The goal is to make sure your voice and the community’s voices are heard and considered. It helps provide valuable insights, identify potential issues and suggest improvements. This way, decisions can be more inclusive, transparent and effective, reflecting what you and the community really needs and wants.

We offer the community opportunities to provide input on key areas. Examples include:

• Environmental sustainability
• Services and facilities, such as libraries, waste, and community centres
• Policies, strategies and plans
• Infrastructure projects, such as bike paths, roads, and skate parks
• Flood management
• Cultural development
• Play and recreation
• Public safety

Your feedback on these initiatives is essential for shaping a community that meets everyone's needs.

We design each engagement activity to fit the needs of the project and the affected community. We may offer a combination of online discussions, surveys, information stalls at community events such as street fairs, drop-in information sessions or workshops. Some people don't have time to come to a face-to-face engagement and some people aren't interested in using computers. You can participate in whichever way suits you best.

You can give feedback in different ways, such as:

• Writing to us: writing emails or letters that explain your opinions and suggestions
• Filling out surveys: answering questions to provide specific feedback on certain topics
• Speaking to us: giving verbal feedback during meetings, in-person sessions or over the phone

When providing feedback in written form or verbally, please consider that Council’s response will be based on the merits of the ideas and issues you raise rather than the quantity of feedback making similar points. For this reason, feedback that clearly explains the matters it raises will be the most effective way to influence the final plan.

Feedback is most effective when we understand your ideas and the outcomes you want. Some suggestions include:

• Be clear and specific about the issues that are of concern to you
• Note which part or section of the document your comments relate to (where applicable)
• Give reasoning in support of your points – this makes it easier for us to consider your ideas and will help avoid any misinterpretation
• Tell us specifically what you agree/ disagree with and why you agree or disagree
• Suggest solutions or alternatives to managing the issue if you can.

You can register on this site and we will send you an email when there is an opportunity to have your say on specific topics that interest you.

For example, if you select Environment as an interest, we'll invite your input on our Kerbside Electric Vehicle Charging Points Pilot. Or you can select Sports as an interest, and we'll ask you what skate ramp you'd prefer for our Mobile Skate Parks.

By adding your interests, we can reach you on topics you care about.

If you change your mind, you can unsubscribe from the emails at any time.

Absolutely!

• You can write a letter and post it to:
  Community Engagement
  Locked Bag 8821
  WOLLONGONG DC NSW 2500
• Email us at engagement@wollongong.nsw.gov.au
• Phone (02) 4227 7111

Council will accept petitions at anytime, not restricted to projects we are seeking comment on through our online engagement website.

To find out more about what you need to do visit https://wollongong.nsw.gov.au/contact-us/petitions

The purpose for seeking your feedback on advertised matters is to better assist Council in its decision-making processes.

The intended recipients of your comments are officers within Council and those granted lawful access to the information. Your feedback may be exhibited on Council’s website and included in publicly accessible registers. If you give anonymous feedback, Council will be unable to contact you further.

If your comments relate to a development proposal or other relevant planning application, Council is required to disclose on its website all relevant details of political donations or gifts made by you, including your name and address.

In limited circumstances, you may apply for suppression of your personal information from a publicly accessible register.

View the full privacy and personal information protection policy on Council’s website or phone Council for more information on (02) 4227 7111.

Read Council's full Privacy Management Plan (557kb) (pdf)

All community feedback is considered by Council. Responses to engagement projects are compiled and considered. When projects are reported to Council to make a decision a summary of community feedback will be included. Updates on projects will be included in these pages and elsewhere on Council's website. Sometimes it takes some months to provide feedback to the community and to make a decision as further investigation is often needed. We are listening and we do take your suggestions on board!

Council decisions can only be made at a formal Council meeting or by delegation, where the responsibility is given to Council officers or special committees to make the decision.

• At a meeting – decisions are made by the votes of the majority of Councillors present. Most important and strategic decisions are made at meetings. Council Meetings are held approximately 20 times a year in the Council Chambers. They are open to the public, except for any part of the meeting where items are proposed to be considered in Closed Council. You can watch Council meetings live online. View the Calendar of Meetings to find out when the next meetings are on. Before each meeting, you can visit Council’s website to see the list of items on the meeting agenda and read the business papers (which usually includes reports and recommendations prepared by Council officers), that Councillors will discuss and consider at the meeting.You can also read about what decisions have been made in Council minutes.
• By delegation – some issues are given to Council officers or special committees to make the decisions on.
  - Special committees - can include any combination of Councillors, Council officers, community members and other people. The Local Government Act says what kind of responsibilities and decision-making powers they have.
  - Council officers - lower-level and operational decisions are up to Council officers. These have to be in line with Council’s policies and procedures.

• Community feedback
• Reports and studies prepared by Council officers, consultants or other experts
• Advice from reference groups, advisory committees and other authorities
• Legislation and other legal information
• Policies and procedures

These are some of the factors in Council decision-making:

The City of Wollongong local government area is represented by a Council made up of a Lord Mayor and 12 Councillors. Both the Lord Mayor and the Councillors are popularly elected. This means that they are voted in by people on the Commonwealth electoral roll. The City is divided into three areas called Wards, with four Councillors elected from each Ward.

Find out more information about our Lord Mayor, Councillors and wards.

The Local Government Act 1993 is New South Wales law that sets out Councils’ responsibilities and how they can operate. It also makes sure that Councils engage with their communities.

Chapter 4 of this Act details the ways that community can influence what Council does.

Policies and procedures are the rules and processes we follow. They guide our decision-making, actions and how we direct and control the business of Council. All of Council’s current policies.

If you're d/Deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, you can contact us through the National Relay Service.

If you need an interpreter, you can contact us through the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450. You'll need to provide our phone number 02 4227 7111 when using these services.