Council has made a commitment in its 2022-23 Operational Plan to improve the way we undertake community engagement.  It is essential for Council to be able to provide the opportunity for engagement on important topics and projects in the future.

To ensure we involve, listen, and be transparent with the community when decision making on new initiatives, when making policy changes, developing programs, or activities, Council is continually looking at ways to improve communication.

An online portal, ‘Have Your Say Charters Towers’, is being launched as an engagement tool to provide information to and seek feedback from the community.

Mayor Frank Beveridge says that Council recognises that people have a right to be informed and to have a say on the projects and issues that are important to them, and which have an impact on their daily lives.

“Community engagement helps Council to better understand the community’s views and values and enables us to make more informed decisions and deliver better services.

“This new engagement tool will help open communication, with the platform providing the opportunity for discussion forums, feedback, and surveys,” said Mayor Beveridge.

Council is hoping that by providing the opportunity for the community to give input and feedback in a safe, open, and transparent platform it will enable and encourage more individuals to have a say about what matters to them.

Initially, Council is seeking feedback on Library services, with participants asked to rate current service levels, as well as being given the opportunity to suggest other services that they might like to see implemented.

Project information will also be placed on the portal, with current projects of the Mosman Street Walking Track Extension and the Charters Towers Water Park already in place.

"Later this month, Council will also be commencing community consultation for the Kennedy Regiment Memorial Pool Redevelopment, to help inform and influence the decisions it makes.

“Whilst Council is restricted in some aspects of the project, including the location and budget, Council want to accommodate as many ideas and concepts from the community as possible within the new design,” said Mayor Beveridge.

Council is encouraging the community to register on the portal as a way of providing feedback to Council and staying up to date.

If you would like to get involved in Council’s online engagement space to ‘have your say’, head to haveyoursay.charterstowers.qld.gov.au and register.