VIC
Baw Baw Shire Council will soon launch a new online engagement platform that it hopes will enhance opportunities for meaningful and direct interactions with the Council.
Launching on 9 October with three pilot projects, the Council says Baw Baw Connect will offer a wider variety of flexible and easy-to-use engagement methods to make it easier for residents to have their say and to stay informed about the progress and outcomes of local projects.
Mayor, Annemarie McCabe described the new platform as a “step in the right direction towards creating more meaningful and transparent engagement with our residents as we strive towards our community’s vision for a sustainable, healthy, and thriving region.”
“Our residents have told us that they would like to see greater engagement and more proactive information sharing from Council,” says the Mayor.
“We’ve listened. Our new consultation platform, Baw Baw Connect, is one step we are taking to make it easier for you to have your say your way and make sure your views are heard.”
The online engagement platform includes a number of features that will enhance and support engagement outcomes and experiences for all users, she said.
These include:
- A wider variety of intuitive engagement methods to suit personal preferences and project requirements, including interactive maps, polls, discussion forums and more.
- Enhanced analysis and cross-referencing of resident feedback from multiple engagement activities to better inform Council decisions.
- Increased efficiency for officers to access the information that they need, when they need it, to inform their recommendations to Council.
- Provide a better resident experience by offering the option to receive direct email notifications about project milestones, updates and outcomes.
“It is clear that sticking with the same old engagement methods is not meeting the expectations of our evolving community,” said the Mayor.
“We are committed to meeting those expectations and evolving along with our community to make sure they are able to engage with Council in ways that work for them. That’s what this initiative is all about.”
Baw Baw Connect is scheduled to go live on Monday 9 October, where the community will be invited to participate in three upcoming community engagement projects, Open Space Strategy Review, Significant Tree Register and Yarragon and Trafalgar Pedestrian and Cycling Study.
