The NSW Parliament passed amendments to the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act) in the Local Government Amendment (Governance and Planning) Act 2016. Two changes of relate to State of the Environment reporting & the requirement for a Community Engagement Strategy.

• Community Engagement Strategy: The council must prepare and implement a community engagement strategy based on social justice principles for engagement with the local community in developing and reviewing the Community Strategic Plan following the ordinary local government election. Council is not required to establish and implement a community engagement strategy in accordance with section 402A, as inserted by the amending Act, until 12 months after the next ordinary election of councillors following that amendment.
•  State of the Environment reporting: State of environment reporting is no longer required from the commencement of the new cycle of integrated planning and reporting following the ordinary local government election.

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