INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY IN DECISION-MAKING Community engagement in Wodonga looked different in 2020-2021. COVID-19 restrictions prevented face-to-face engagement for significant periods in 2019 and 2020 while the new Local Government Act 2020 put increasing importance on ensuring all residents have the opportunity to engage with the council on local priorities and the future of their community. In line with Local Government Act 2020 changes, council developed a new Community Engagement Policy and also asked the community to “Have a say on having a say”. In 2020-2021, the council sought feedback from the community on 29 matters. Those matters ranged from key strategic documents including a new Council Plan, the annual budget and a new Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan to tourism, the arts, dog parks and playgrounds. The council worked with neighbouring AlburyCity to ask both communities how to best promote Albury-Wodonga to visitors under the Visit Albury Wodonga banner.
HOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAD THEIR SAY The council heard from community members through the Make Wodonga Yours online portal, workshops, drop-in sessions, a Community Conversations online panel, “Seats on the Street” face-toface sessions at key locations out in the community, formal submissions, emails, phone calls, interactive maps for comments, social media and letters in the post.
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HOW COUNCIL ENCOURAGED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HAVE A SAY Council promoted opportunities to engage through public notices, media reports, social media posts, email newsletters, posters on community noticeboards and word of mouth.
