FAQs

The feedback community have provided through a myriad of community engagement activities across Lismore in the last two years is being incorporated into the Community Strategic Plan. This includes the Look Ahead work being undertaken by the Living Lab Northern Rivers (a program of Southern Cross University, University of Technology Sydney and the NSW Reconstruction Authority).

Civic leaders, including Council staff, Councillors, and community representatives, collaborate closely to develop and implement the CSP. Together, they ensure that the plan is responsive to local needs, aligns with state policies, integrates with other key industry strategies and meets statutory requirements. This teamwork helps maintain transparency, accountability, and a shared commitment to achieving Lismore’s long-term vision.

The CSP is the foundation for several supporting plans, such as the Delivery Program and Operational Plan, which outline specific actions and projects to achieve the strategic goals. It also aligns with the Resourcing Strategy—covering finance, workforce, and asset management—to ensure resources are available to deliver on the community’s vision. Together, these documents create a comprehensive approach to managing Lismore’s growth and services.

The CSP is essential because it sets the direction for everything the Council does, ensuring services, projects, and initiatives are aligned with the community’s values and priorities. It provides a shared vision that supports community well-being, environmental care, economic growth, and resilience—helping Lismore move forward in a balanced and sustainable way.

The CSP acts as a guiding document that informs all aspects of Council’s operations, from urban development and infrastructure projects to community programs and environmental initiatives. It helps the Council make decisions that benefit both current and future generations, considering factors like growth, sustainability, and the local economy.

Community input is vital to the CSP process. Residents, businesses, and community groups share their perspectives, values, and priorities through consultations, surveys, and workshops. This input directly shapes the goals and strategies within the CSP, ensuring it truly reflects what matters most to those who live, work, and play in Lismore.

The Councillors and Mayor represent the community and are key decision-makers in the CSP process. They review community feedback, set priorities, and endorse the final CSP. Their role is to balance diverse community needs and advocate for sustainable, forward-thinking policies that benefit all residents.

In relation to the prioritisation exercise in the scorecard, we limit priorities to three to help Council to see where they need to allocate limited resources.  If respondents were permitted to choose more priorities, we’d see less differentiation in priorities and it would provide less focussed attention on what really matters for residents.

A Community Strategic Plan (CSP) is a requirement under the Local Government Act (1993) and ‘identifies the main priorities and aspirations for the future of the local government area covering a period of at least 10 years from when the plan is endorsed’. The CSP must address the quadruple bottom line: social, environmental, economic and civic leadership issues. It sets the broad priorities of the Council, based upon community aspirations, and informs a suite of other plans required in the IP&R Framework.

A Master Plan is a land use planning document that applies to a specific geographically defined area. It sets the framework for future land use planning controls and infrastructure requirements. It can also set a vision for the master plan area, with a range of planning principles and actions to achieve that vision.