Community Engagement Framework

Hastings District Council’s vision is ‘Fertile land, Heretaunga whenua houkura, Prosperous people, Heretaunga hapori ora’. This vision is based on our mission of ‘Working for our people and our place, today and tomorrow’. Our Council is elected to represent our ratepayers, and Council staff work to deliver strategies and objectives set on that basis.

To ensure we stay connected with our community we need a community engagement framework that sets out clear standards and effective methods for both how Council (elected members and staff) communicates with our community, and how our community can communicate with Council, particularly in relation to decision-making.

To be successful, community engagement requires fair opportunities for two-way communication. Our partners and community members should have the chance to ask questions, get the information they need, share their aspirations, have their views heard, and provide their constructive feedback. It also relies on Council to genuinely listen to the voice of the community and to let them know how their feedback was considered and what impact it had.

The purpose of Community Engagement

Community engagement is the process where Council and the community work together to achieve common goals. While the elected members of Council have the final decision-making power, community engagement plays a significant role in informing and improving Council’s decision-making.

Effective community engagement:

Creates ongoing relationships with communities built on trust and respect;
Leads to sustainable decisions and improved outcomes, informed by a greater understanding of participants’ needs, concerns and priorities;
Creates greater legitimacy and involvement in future engagement;
Reduces risk including political, operational and legal risks.

Our Community Engagement Framework contains information on the following:

• The purpose of community engagement 
• The community we serve
• Strategic context
• Legal context
• Core values for community engagement
• Guiding principles for community engagement
• Guiding principles for engagement with Māori
• The community engagement process
• Key steps in the community engagement process
• Levels of community engagement
• Inclusiveness: Overcoming barriers to engagement
• Roles and responsibilities in the community engagement process

Download a copy of the community engagement framework here

VIEW OUR CURRENT COMMUNITY CONSULTATIONS HERE