Where to next?

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Consultation has concluded

The opportunity for community consultation about the 'Where to Next?' draft CSP report has come to an end.

A report about the community feedback will be considered by the 19 June Council meeting.

The opportunity for community consultation about the 'Where to Next?' draft CSP report has come to an end.

A report about the community feedback will be considered by the 19 June Council meeting.

Consultation has concluded
  • Where to Next? Did we get it right?

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    June 6, 2018.

    Orange residents have just under one week to tell Orange City Council whether they agree with its draft ten-year, blue-print plan, which forms the basis of Council decision making for the next ten years.

    So far nearly 600 people have visited the Your Say Orange website to read about the plan, since it was put on exhibition three weeks ago, and of those, 40 people have completed a survey or made a comment.

    The development of the plan started late last year, when Council began a conversation called Where to Next? with residents.

    Council asked residents about what they love about Orange, what they would like to improve and how they think the future should look.

    Hundreds of people contributed thousands of ideas and all of those ideas were put together to form the draft Community Strategic Plan (CSP).

    Orange Mayor Reg Kidd said the CSP was the most important planning document a Council could create.
    “It forms the basis of major decisions of the Council for the next ten years,” Cr Kidd said.

    “Everything we do must come back to the priorities set out by the community, in the form of the CSP.
    “We are urging the community to take this chance to tell us if we got it right.”

    The Where to Next? conversation revealed a list of priorities including a better range of sport and recreation opportunities, an upgraded and more vibrant central business district, together with new steps to improve Orange’s sense of community, protect the environment, improve roads and enhance local parks.

    “This plan is about higher-order themes and priorities,” Cr Kidd said.

    “It’s great people come to Council and tell us about a specific footpath that they believe might need an upgrade, or a problem tree in the street, we certainly want to hear from the community, in general, about these types of things.

    “But the CSP is not the place for specifics. It’s about setting our long-term priorities.

    “We need you to go to the website, have a read, fill out a survey or make a comment and tell us if you think we heard what you told us.”

    The deadline for feedback on the CSP is June 12.

    Submission can also be made via email at council@nsw.gov.au and in writing.

    WHERE TO NEXT: Deputy mayor Joanne McRae with mayor Reg Kidd and students who participated in the initial rounds of consultation.

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  • Sport & recreation upgrades top list of community suggestions

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    21 May 2018

    The development of a better range of sport and recreation opportunities, together with new steps to improve Orange’s sense of community, protect the environment, improve roads and enhance local parks, were the top suggestions for the future to come from the wide-ranging ‘Where to Next’ community conversation.

    FACE TO FACE : A series of community meetings were held as part of the Where to Next? community conversation.

    Orange City Council’s ‘Where to Next? campaign ran from November last year to February this year , as part of the effort to compile the city’s new Community Strategic Plan (CSP) check-list.

    In a blend of on-line dialogue, pop-up sessions at markets and face-to-face meetings, hundreds of local residents contributed suggestions and voted thousands of times on the ideas of other people.

    Details of hundreds of community suggestions have been outlined in two new draft reports, which group the community contributions into themes and topics. The 15 May council meeting voted to put the two reports on display for community comment.

    Orange Mayor Reg Kidd said he was delighted with the broad range of ideas that have come from the community.

    “I’m impressed by the time and effort that so many of local residents have put in to be a part of this conversation,” Cr Reg Kidd said. “The suggestions have been grouped together into a list of themes and joint-topics so they can guide future action.

    “The process of a resident making a suggestion is just one part of the process. It’s still up to the council and the whole community to wrestle through with the difficult decision of weighing up competing priorities and finding the money to pay for one of a number of good ideas.”

    “The CSP report describes the process when individual ideas and suggestions are funnelled into themes, and developed into big-picture objectives and actions. The task of weighing-up projects against other priorities will see some ideas happen and perhaps other others put on the back-burner.”

    The suggestions have been assembled under four big-pictures themes : Live, Preserve, Prosper and Collaborate.

    The Orange community can now make any comment about the draft plans before they are adopted at a future council meeting.

    Residents can :

    The deadline for community comments on the new CSP is Tuesday 12 June.

    ** Read a summary of the key ideas here.

    ** Find out how suggestions can be translated into concrete actions here.


  • Orange community floats long list of suggestions for the future.

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    The following text is a summary of some of the key themes to emerge from the 'Where to Next?' conversation :

    __________________________________________________________

    Sport and Recreation

    Orange residents were generally happy with the range of sporting and recreational facilities offered in the City. However, there were a number of improvements or additions to the current offerings identified in each of the sessions. More broadly, the attraction of regional and state carnivals and events is seen to be an opportunity, and suitable facilities are required to host these.

    The swimming pool is a valued asset, however, the cost of entry and learn-to-swim classes may create an obstacle for members of the community. Some concessions are sought, especially for the schools providing the life skill of swimming.

    Residents would like to see additional water-based recreational activities around the lake, dams and creeks with supporting infrastructure such as toilets and BBQs.

    Cycling is growing in importance and while residents are happy with cycle and walking paths throughout the City, they would like to see them expanded and maintained. Further, development of mountain biking and cycling tourism was important.

    Community

    Residents love the Orange community and would like to see tolerance and acceptance for all people.

    It was suggested that a welcoming committee be developed for new residents that could provide information on the range of services that are available within the community. Better access and inclusion for people with a disability, aged care, palliative care and a youth hub, were offered as suggestions to improve the City.

    The villages of Orange were also represented during the engagement and they seek protection of their community’s way of life.

    Interest and participation in community groups appears to be waning. There were suggestions that Council could provide more support to community organisations to help them with their management and projects.

    Roads and Transport

    The comments and ideas on the topic of roads focused on two main issues.

    The first focused on transport within Orange. This included suggestions to increase the frequency of public transport services (particularly buses to and from the hospital precinct the and the CBD). There were calls for the general improvement of the quality of the city’s roads as well as more work on pothole repairs, and signs of a lack of community understanding of newer traffic devices such as blisters.

    The second area focused on the connection of Orange to the surrounding regions and Sydney. Many residents continue to express concern at the condition of the northern bypass and identify the completion of the southern feeder road as a priority. Residents have called for significant improvements to key access roads to Sydney, predominantly the Bells Line of Road. Residents also asked for better rail access to Sydney, either through an extension of the ‘Bathurst Bullet’ to Orange or a more convenient daily XPT service.

    Parks and Open Spaces

    The parks of Orange are important and valued by the residents and their importance should be recognised with appropriate maintenance and ongoing upgrades.

    The value of green spaces is and should be recognised in the community, with parks, wetlands and open spaces included in the planning process and incorporated into new estates. The trees in the streets are a feature of Orange and should be preserved.

    Environment

    The environment and sustainability are important to the Orange community.

    Residents provided many positive comments around the City’s green spaces, use of the attractive natural environment, wetland areas attracting wildlife, and stormwater treatment schemes. There is increasing support for Council to encourage greater social responsibility in respect of the environment, including installation of solar panels on all major council and community buildings, promoting less single-use plastics, banning plastic shopping bags and considering the use of electric/ hybrid vehicles for Council’s fleet. There is a general push for educating the community to be more environmentally aware and accountable for actions impacting our beautiful city.

    Employment, Education and Training

    The community contributed a number of positive comments around the quality of education and training on offer in Orange.

    Residents requested a wider range of courses at CSU, and the possibility of a new school to support the growing North Orange area. There were also many ideas around how to improve employment and training opportunities in the area, including providing transition programs for school leavers and migrants settling in town. Residents also suggested that Council could advocate for lower or subsidised commercial rents and a campaign to encourage light industry /small manufacturing companies to move from high-cost metropolitan areas to Orange.

    Retail

    Participants identified a range of brands or types of shops that could be attracted to Orange.

    The loss of Myer was noted and a replacement tenant for this prime location is seen as critical. Respondents commented on the need for increased shops at North Orange (although some respondents were against this) as well as in other neighbourhood retail growth in established parts of Orange.

    Communication

    Communication between Council and the community was seen as important with participants highlighting the need for continual, up-to-date and relevant information being available to the community.

    Internal communication within Council was highlighted to ensure that all departments are aware of projects. There was support for council to explore new approaches to allow greater levels of engagement and shared decision-making between council and the community, such as has happened in other communities.

    Communication from the community was also noted, with a need to ensure that events, activities and programs that are run in Orange are communicated among other residents.

    Planning & Development

    Participants provided a range of different feedback about planning,

    DA approval, growth, urban infill expansion, green-fields development, appropriate land use planning and commercial space.

    Waste Collection

    A range of different opinions were provided with some people wanting more collection, less collection and different types of collection.

    There was significant commentary on bulky waste collection with residents wanting this service to be reinstated.

    Cultural

    Commentary around Orange’s cultural facilities was largely positive.

    The Museum, Art Gallery, Library and Theatre are highly rated. There were comments around the maintenance and possible upgrading of ageing facilities to ensure that they meet community needs into the future, as well as the addition of new facilities such as the Conservatorium of Music and the Planetarium.

    Tourism

    Food and Wine festivals are viewed as important by the community however some of the events are seen as unaffordable.

    Some participants would like events not related to food and wine, such as music and sports. The cycling and grey nomad visitors were also seen as potentially important and should be an area of focus for Council’s tourism activities.

    Paths and Cycling

    The paths for walking and cycling round Orange are highly valued and participants would like to see these expanded and maintained into the future. There was some commentary about the tension between cars and bikes and when cycling lanes merge with traffic.

    Footpaths

    Participants commented on problems with footpaths throughout the city. This include current holes, damage from tree roots, uneven patches and paths that are missing in parts of the city. Of particular concern was accessibility for wheelchairs, motorised vehicles and prams.

    CBD

    Proposed improvements to the CBD largely had the support of the community.

    Suggestions included making the CBD more vibrant especially at night with performance and public art. Making sure the design of any changes incorporated technology options was seen as important, such as available WiFi, smart-parking and data for retailers. Defining a civic space or town centre received some support. The coloured lights in Summer Street are valued and could be updated and expanded. A number of options were floated for the creation of pedestrian malls. Better lighting and more CCTV were identified as improvements to the feeling of safety by residents.

    Leadership

    Participants were happy with the opportunity to engage with the Council to share in decision-making and would like further occasions to do this. The youth would like a formal process to develop their leadership in the city. Community groups are seeking more opportunities to partner with Council to provide services and programs.

    Clean-up & Appearances

    Suggestions about cleaning up around the City were provided as part of the feedback. Entrance ways and parts of the CBD were mentioned by participants, as well as suggested campaigns to maintain cleanliness of the lake and Mount Canobolas areas.

    Health

    Orange has a thriving health sector and the community values both the services and the employment it provides. While health services are largely delivered by the State Government, Orange Council has role in supporting the sector and lobbying for additional services. Palliative care, mental health services, disability services and affordable accommodation options were mentioned during the consultation.

    Playgrounds

    Various playgrounds around the city were mentioned. More enclosed playgrounds for children with a disability are needed. Upgraded and new playgrounds are also sought by the community. Ensuring that adequate shade and safe facilities are provided is seen as important.

    Heritage

    The natural, social, cultural and built heritage was discussed and is valued by the community. Ensuring that this is protected in Orange and the villages is seen as a priority.

    Disability

    Participants raised a range of concerns with regard to supporting people in the community with a disability. This included accessibility to footpaths, buildings and public toilets as well as playgrounds and support services.

    Public Toilets

    Ensuring that public toilets are available, able to be located, are clean and accessible throughout the city are seen as priorities for the community.

    Road Safety

    The safety of pedestrian crossings, traffic lights, cyclists on the roads, and youth driving were amongst the comments submitted during the consultation.

    Villages

    Residents from the surrounding rural villages seek to have their heritage and lifestyle preserved. Rates Participants commented on the cost of rates, rate increases and where the revenue from rates could be spent differently.

    Signage

    Signage in and around the city could be clearer and improved for both locals and visitors.

    Dogs

    Dogs are important to the residents of Orange with participants wanting additional off-leash areas and places for dogs at the waterways.

    There was interest in developing a more streamlined system of dealing with complaints about barking dogs, including keeping people who have complained in touch with progress. There was also commentary around ensuring that owners cleaned up after their dogs.

    ______________________________________________________________

    During this final stage of this community conversation, residents can :



  • How community suggestions are put into action

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    21 May 2018

    The Where to Next? community conversation led to hundreds of ideas being collected from the community.

    But how do these ideas feed into the process of making a difference in Orange.

    Here is an example of how hundreds of very different ideas from the community are then assembled to for the Community Strategic Plan (CSP), and considered to be acted on.

    In this case, suggestions from the community about upgrades to sporting facilities, walking paths and recreation areas are summarised under the heading of ‘Sport & Recreation’.

    This, in turn, has been funnelled into the ‘Live’ theme which is about creating a ‘healthy, safe and vibrant community’.

    The next step involves developing big-picture ‘Objectives’, and then ‘Actions’ that encompass these ideas.

    When a specific project is considered which would deliver on these aims, it is considered alongside other priorities for funding as part of the Delivery & Operational Plan.

    Once completed, the delivery of this project would be reported on in the Annual Report.

    It's important to remember that the CSP is about the 'big-picture' ideas and 'higher-order' planning directions to guide Orange City Council and the community into the future.

    The final stage of the CSP conversation is about checking back with the community to see if the draft Strategic Plan correctly describes what the community wants to happen.

    Residents can :
    If your concern is about whether a specific action should be funded or whether it should happen or not, then the appropriate place to have your say, might be to comment on the budget, on this site.
  • Hundreds have already had their say, have you?

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    The opportunity to contribute ideas to the Community Strategic Plan has now closed. This article from January 2018 describes earlier progress in the CSP conversation.


    ------------------------

    Wednesday January 31, 2018


    Hundreds of people have already had their say about Orange’s future and they have made more than 1,000 contributions to Orange City Council’s Where To next? ten-year blue-print plan.

    Some of those ideas include making Orange more recreational vehicle friendly, aiding new retail businesses coming to the city and encouraging electric car tourism.


    Themes and broad topic areas are already emerging with ideas about sustainability, recreation, growing tourism and a CBD refurbishment appearing the most often.

    The next phase of the community strategic plan (CSP) conversation is about to begin with a series of community meetings and pop-up stalls planned for next week.

    Orange Mayor Reg Kidd said meeting people face-to-face would fine-tune the ideas the community had already put forward.

    “There are hundreds of ideas, hundreds of votes on those ideas and hundreds of pins on a map, to consider already,” Cr Kidd said.

    “Ideas such as providing more entertainment for Orange’s young people, more recycling bin pick-ups and a suggestion Council should lobby government for a better affordable housing policy.

    “They’re all ideas that we’ll be looking at when it comes to putting together this ten-year plan.

    “We can’t implement all of the ideas but we’ll be categorising them in broader themes and groups that will help shape Council’s priorities.

    “The next phase is about meeting people face-to-face and getting further in to that conversation about what people love about Orange, what they think needs improving and where do they see Orange heading

    in the next ten-years. “Once we’ve met with people at our pop-up stalls and had next week’s community meetings we will then take everyone’s ideas and group them into higher level priorities.

    “We’ll then bring those priorities back to the community, in the form of more broad topics, and we’ll ask the community whether we’ve got it right.

    “We plan to do that online using our Your Say Orange website.

    “After we’ve asked the community if we’ve got it right, only then will we put it all together to create the ten-year plan.

    “The community strategic plan, is used to guide all decisions of Council for this term. Therefore it is important we hear from a large cross section of the community.

    “So get on board and have your say.”

    The first face-to-face pop-up stall is on Saturday at Orange Central Square from 10am to 12pm and the second pop-up is on the following Saturday, February 10 at the Orange Region Farmers markets.

    Everyone is encourage to come along, have a chat, ask questions and add their ideas.

    There are also four community meetings planned next week at Orange Council Chambers.

    The first is for school children in primary school and high school who will have the opportunity to tell council what they want for their future in Orange. The next three are open to the public and all are invited to come along*.

    The first is on February 8 at 12pm and then again at 5.30pm in the council chambers in Byng Street. The third and last community meeting is on at 8am, February 9, also in council chambers.

    In the meantime, head to yoursay.orange.nsw.gov.au to see the hundreds of ideas already entered, vote on those ideas, or add your own.

    Once phase two of the Where to Next project begins on February 20, people will no longer be able to add ideas, instead Council will be asking the community to comment on the compilation of ideas presented in more broadly defined topic areas.

    “I hope to see people of all ages and demographics come and see us over the next week, no need to RSVP just turn up and have a say,” Cr Kidd said.

    Key Dates
    • FEBRUARY 3 2018: Pop-up information stall and a chance to give us your ideas face-to-face at Orange Central Square (near K-Mart entrance) 10am to 12pm.
    • FEBRUARY 7 2018: Face-to-face consultation with students from Orange schools.
    • FEBRUARY 8 2018: Face-to-face community meeting with anyone who wants to ask questions or add ideas in person at 12 noon and again at 5.30pm in the Council chambers.
    • FEBRUARY 9 2018: Face-to-face community meeting with anyone who wants to ask questions or add ideas in person at 8am in the Council chambers.
    • FEBRUARY 10 2018: Pop-up information stand and a chance to give us your ideas face-to-face at the Orange Regional Farmers Market.
    * NEED SOME EXTRA ASSISTANCE? : If you need assistive techniques to enable you to contribute to the 'Where to Next?' consultation, please make contact before any of these community meetings so that assistance, such as AUSLAN signing, can be provided. Please contact Orange City Council's Manager of Community Services, Louise Geaghan on 6393 8605 or lgeaghan@orange.nsw.gov.au

    CBD OVERHAUL: Many residents are calling for a CBD refurbishment

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  • What happened last time?

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    The opportunity to contribute ideas to the Community Strategic Plan has now closed. This article from November 2017 describes earlier progress in the CSP conversation.

    _________________________________________


    In 2011, Orange City Council held its first community engagement strategy to produce a Community Strategic Plan.

    The consultation was called ‘Shaping Orange’ and included a series of ‘community conversations’ across a broad range of local residents – the elderly, youth, women and men, recent migrants, the Aboriginal community and the disabled.

    The community was asked to respond to key questions about the future by way of online survey and written feedback forms.

    There were over 500 people engaged directly and 380 indirectly.

    The information collected was then provided to a research firm to conduct a random telephone survey which had a 95% confidence level of representing the community.

    The survey showed that the areas of interest and concern raised in the 'conversations' and 'feedback sheets' were representative of the broader community’s views.

















    PRIORITIES : The 2012 'Shaping Orange' conversation revealed that the Orange community's top priority for future action was gaining a reliable water supply.

    The results of this consultation formed the basis of the objectives and strategies of the CSP that was drafted in 2011 and adopted by the council in 2012.

    Once the CSP document was drafted, it was put on exhibition for community comment from mid-December 2011 to 10 February 2012. The community and the government agencies had the opportunity to make submissions to the Council about the draft plan.

    These submissions were considered by Council on 19 April 2012 and only minor changes were made before the plan (Community Strategic Plan 2012 - 2022) was adopted.

    The plan is reviewed each year and is used to guide the framing of annual budgets.

  • Be careful what you ask for ...

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    The opportunity to contribute ideas to the Community Strategic Plan has now closed. This article from November 2017 2018 describes earlier progress in the CSP conversation.

    __________________________________


    21 November 2017

    The last time Orange City Council staged a community-wide conversation about the city’s future, a call for better water security topped the priority-list.

    Now, six years later, the dam wall of Suma Park has been raised, the Macquarie Pipeline has been built and Orange’s award-winning stormwater harvesting schemes are providing more water than ever before.

    Six years after the 2011-2012 conversation, the council is set to begin another wide-ranging community consultation and Mayor Reg Kidd is urging as many people as possible to have their say.

    “Orange City Council wants to find out what the Orange community’s main priorities are, and what locals want to see happening in the future, “ Cr Reg Kidd said.

    “We’ll put those priorities into a blue-print plan that will let the council keep its work on-track with what the community expects to happen.”



    In NSW, in the months after a new council election, every council arranges a structured conversation with members of its local community. Based on that conversation, a new blue-print for the future is put together.

    This blue-print is called a‘Community Strategic Plan’ (CSP).

    The CSP describes the ‘high-level’ directions the community wants to explore, and then sets topic-area objectives and individual strategies for the incoming council (and future councils)to work towards over the next ten years.

    Orange City Council arranged its first CSP planning conversation in 2011-2012, and the consultation which will begin later this month will be the 2nd time a plan has been developed.

    “People can raise whatever questions they want about the sort of community they want to live in,” Mayor Reg Kidd said, “but some ideas will be more able to be delivered by the local council than others.”

    “Last time there was also a clear call from the people of Orange for ‘Improved medical facilities and services’ to build on the work of the new hospital that had just opened.

    “While health is largely up to the NSW Government to deliver, local councils can play a behind the scenes role. However it happened, six years later the plan for a new private hospital is making progress and a proposed new planning agreement for the project is up for comment.”

    “The community’s needs and wants will change over time, and so it’s important they speak up again to talk together now about what’s they want to see happen.”

    CONVERSATION : Orange resident Maureen Morgan helps Mayor Reg Kidd launch the 'Where to Next?' community conversation over a coffee in McLachlan St.

    TWO PHASES:

    The conversation will happen in two stages.

    The initial consultation, beginning in November 2017, is happening online using this website.

    Beginning in February 2018, there will also be a series of face-to-face opportunities. The community meetings will beheld in the Civic Centre.

    NEED SOME EXTRA ASSISTANCE? :

    If you need assistive techniques to enable you to contribute to the 'Where to Next?' consultation, please make contact before any of these community meetings so that assistance, such as AUSLAN signing, can be provided.

    Please contact Orange City Council's Manager of Community Services, Louise Geaghan on 6393 8605 or lgeaghan@orange.nsw.gov.au