Community Consultation

Swan Hill Rural City Council regularly conducts consultation with its community and with people who are concerned with matters being considered by Council.  This includes some forms of consultation that Council is required to undertake, by law, as well as forms of consultation that Council undertakes because it wants to make good decisions which take account of community interests.

Statutory Consultation

There are some decisions and activities of Council which by law can only be done after the Council has conducted public consultation.  Among other things, this includes decisions about the following matters:

• Setting councillor and mayoral allowances
• Adopting a council plan
• Making a local law
• Changing the Council’s system of land valuations for council rates
• Adopting a budget
• Declaring a special rate or a special charge
• Selling, exchanging or leasing land
• Deviating or discontinuing a road

Following the publishing of a public notice on any of the above, people who wish to make submissions must lodge them with Council within 14 days of the public notice, however, certain issues may carry a 28 day notice period.  Council must then fix a time, date and place for a meeting to hear submissions and give reasonable notice to submitters, giving submitters, or their representative, the opportunity to be heard in support of their submission.

Other Public Consultation

Council consultation is not limited to matters and processes where there is a legal requirement to consult.

It is common for Council to undertake community consultation on sensitive decisions before commencing the specific consultation processes required by law.  Council also undertakes consultation on other matters where it considers it important to determine public sentiment and community concerns before making a decision or commencing a project.

		Domestic Animal Management Plan Survey
		Swan Hill Rural City Council is seeking input from the community to help them in developing their Domestic Animal Management Plan.

		Draft Drought Social Response & Recovery Plan
		Swan Hill Rural City Council and Southern Mallee Primary Care Partnership together with the Drought Advisory Group are seeking wider community comment on the draft of the Drought Social Response and Recovery Plan for the Swan Hill municipality. Please