#changesCGGCommunity

Like all local governments around Australia, the City of Greater Geraldton is challenged with providing for the ever increasing needs and desires of its community from a limited income. In coming up with solutions to these challenges, the City has long recognised that the best solutions are those that are made collaboratively between Council, City staff and the community utilising the principles of engagement and deliberative democracy.

The #changesCGGCommunity project was established to ensure the decision making that sits behind the City’s Budget is more equitable, transparent and inclusive. The project is how the City delivered on a commitment made following the highly successful 2029 and Beyond project, a city wide consultation and engagement program that opened up its decision making processes to the wider community.

In late 2013 and early 2014, the City engaged two Citizen Juries or Community Panels to prioritise its 10 Year Capital Works Plan and to make recommendations on the Range and Level of Services the City provides.

In early 2015 the City held a Community Summit to develop a priority list of non-mandatory services.

Read about the cost cuts and efficiencies in services the City made following the consultation process here

In mid 2016, the City held the Mullewa Services Summit to review the range and level of services provided to their community located 100kms east of City.

All four of these engagement activites utilised the principles of deliberative democracy and participatory budgeting to inform Council decision making.

View the video presenting an overview of the #changesCGG Community project here

View the video of City of Greater Geraldton CEO and Project Director discussing the importance of involving the community in decisions regarding how the budget gets spent here