Community Engagement Strategy

The City of Launceston has a strong commitment to community and stakeholder engagement. This commitment is reflected in our Strategic Plan and our Community Engagement Framework.

What is community engagement?

Community Engagement can be defined as any process that involves the public in decision-making and that uses community input to make better, more informed decisions. It includes:

• giving, seeking and sharing information

• responding to community-initiated issues

• continuously seeking different communication methods for those community members affected by Council decisions prior to making those decisions.

Engagement does not replace the final decision making power of the Council, the CEO or staff but enhances their capacity to make decisions that are well-informed, acceptable and sustainable.

Engagement should not be confused with communication. Communication is a one-way process in which information is conveyed from one party to another. ‘Engagement’ implies a two-way process in which information is conveyed and the recipient is invited to provide feedback/comment. The feedback is then used to inform a decision or help shape a strategy.

The City of Launceston’s approach to community engagement is based on the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Spectrum of Engagement and its core values.

Download the Community Engagement Strategy(PDF, 8MB)

Download the Community Engagement Framework(PDF, 8MB)