Better Pathways to Planning - Gympie Council · 2Gympie External Stakeholder Engagement: Final...

0 Gympie External Stakeholder Engagement: Final Report 6 November 2019

Final Report

for Gympie Regional Council

Better Pathways to PlanningBetter customer experiences with planning and development services

6 November 2019


Contents

1 Executive summary 3

2 Recommendations 6

3 Project background 11

4 Major findings 19

Initial briefings/workshops 20

One-on-one case study interviews 23

Focus groups 27

Community survey 33

“Nothing changes

if

nothing changes”

Quote from the whiteboard

Focus Group #3: Business Interests ArticulousLevel 1, 123 Charlotte StreetBrisbane CBD, Qld 4000www.articulous.com.au


Glossary and abbreviations

Unless noted otherwise, the following words and phrases have the specific meaning in this report:

Application Any type of application that the Council has to approve, regardless of how small or big

Articulous Articulous Communications

Better Pathways to Planning

An initiative of the Council

Chambers of Commerce

The Gympie Chamber of Commerce, the Mary Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Tin Can Bay Chamber of Commerce, the Rainbow Beach Chamber of Commerce

Council Gympie Regional Council

Councillors The elected representatives of the Council

Council staff The staff who work for the Council

Development Any large or small project, a new extension, building, earthworks, or larger complex land development and/or big projects

Enquirer Someone who makes enquiries which may or may not result in them becoming an applicant

Interviewees The people who participated in the 16 one-on-one case study interviews

Project Any large or small project, a new extension, building, earthworks, or larger complex land development and/or big projects

Region The Gympie Regional Council area

Disclaimer

This is an independent report by Articulous for the Council.

By reading any part of this report the reader agrees that all ideas, processes, approaches, components, analysis, findings and recommendations set out herein are the sole property of the Council and Articulous until and unless agreed otherwise, and undertakes to not use any part without the expressed written agreement of the Council or Articulous.

This report does not constitute a decision, policy or action of the Council.

Information herein includes material and opinions obtained from third parties under managed conditions, and these are considered to be accurate and/or offered in good faith. Where relevant and appropriate we have included verbatim words and phrases from participants, and/or have paraphrased inputs. Whilst the material and opinions have been carefully recorded, compiled, and analysed no warranty or promise as to the accuracy or correctness of same is made or intended.

Articulous’ role and focus has been on the engagement of stakeholders external to the Council. An internal Council staff process has been run independently of this report.

With every interaction Articulous has had with stakeholders we have insisted that participants’ names will not be reproduced in the published analysis, and that this report will be drafted so as to respect the confidentiality of the matters disclosed to Articulous.

The content of this report has been prepared without taking into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular reader, individual or entity who may be involved in any development application with the Council or any legal matter that may involve the Council.

Articulous disclaims all liability for any loss or damage suffered by any reader, person, or entity for, or in connection with, the provision of information herewith, or the purported reliance thereon by any reader, person or entity.


1 Executive summary


Executive summary

The Purpose

The Council engaged Articulous to be the independent third party to run an external engagement program on delivering better customer experiences of the Council’s planning and development services.

Report Inclusions

This report sets out, amongst other things, suggestions for improvements to:

• The Council’s processes

• The way it deals with applicants

• The upfront information provided to applicants and the community on how the planning system operates

• How the stakeholders can better understand each other’s role.

The Process

Initial concerns and suggestions for improvement were identified early in the briefings and workshops with the Councillors, the Council staff and representatives of Chambers of Commerce boards. These were carried into the one-on-one case study interviews. The outcomes of these interviews were analysed and tested with each of the four focus groups.

The focus groups were asked to identify the most important issues and suggestions for improvement, and also to make their own suggestions for improvements.

The outcomes of the focus groups were used to design the community survey, which focussed on the most important suggestions for improvements. Survey respondents chose the five most important improvements from a suite of ten top priority options.

Stakeholders Engaged

93 people participated in the face-to-face engagement activities and 134 people completed the community survey.

Participants included:- Consultants and State agencies’ representatives- Business interests- Individuals who have lodged development applications in the past 3 years

(both in Gympie and elsewhere)- Individuals who have never lodged development applications- Individuals who have made submissions (objections) to proposed

developments- Gympie region residents- Gympie region business owners- Government employees- People in businesses ranging from sole traders and ‘Mum and Dad’

businesses up to large businesses employing 25+ people- Members and representatives of the Gympie, Mary Valley and Tin Can Bay

Chambers of Commerce- Council staff- Councillors

• The people involved in the one-on-one case study Interviews and the focus groups were invited where their names appeared on both stakeholder lists provided to Articulous by Council and the local Chambers of Commerce. The interviewees reflected a diversity of backgrounds, development and business interests. Each were interviewed using a consistent set of questions to enable their varying experiences to be captured and compared in analysis.

• The four focus groups represented #1: Frequent and recent applications, #2: Consultants and the State Government, #3: Business interests, and #4: Council staff. Each were led through the same program to ensure the outcomes could be compared and collated.

• The community survey was designed so that respondents could easily identify the most important improvements, and these were then quantified. The survey collected data about the respondent, enabling the analysis to consider, e.g. the relevance of responses from people who have never lodged an application with the Council.


Executive summary

Key Findings – Complexity of the system

Our Articulous team includes experienced town planners, who understand how complicated and overwhelming it can be for non-planners to navigate the processes of lodging a development application, working it through the development assessment processes with Council and State Government staff, negotiating outcomes, securing the necessary approvals, and then getting on with the project in accordance with the suite of development conditions that accompany the approvals. We heard from many people who struggled with these complexities (and delays).

We found consistent responses about the issues that need to be addressed, and the improvements that can be made from the Council staff and Councillors through to the business community across the region. The Council is seen as too complex by many, as is the process of development assessment. Many people feel they don’t know what to do when having to lodge a development application, and this can lead to insufficient information being provided to assess development proposals. Many would like the Council staff to adopt a more enabling approach.

We also heard from stakeholders who had found themselves having to make submissions to object to the significant impacts of proposed developments either next door, or in their locality. Their experiences highlighted the important role the Council plays in properly assessing the weight and voracity of objections to proposed developments, and then also policing the compliance of approved developments. We also heard from stakeholders who expressed frustration with the delays and impositions that they saw being created by, for example, a sole objector who they considered to be not materially affected by their proposal.

Key Findings – Mixed experiences

It’s important to note that every stakeholder we had a face-to-face interaction with has had good experiences with some aspects of the Council’s planning and development processes and services. Pre-application meetings, minutes and site visits are valued. Helpful advice reduces time, costs and uncertainty. The availability of Councillors and their assistance is also valued.

Stakeholders (outside the Council) recounted a number of negative experiences, often with great vigour and emotion. Some participants described an ‘us and them’ attitude from some Council staff. Others specified delays in the processing of development applications, unresponsiveness, and inconsistent advice being received from different parts of the Council. Others pointed to specific concerns, such as unrealistic conditions of approval.

Most important suggestions for improvements

Importance from the community survey

Importance across the Focus Groups

Importance across the 1:1 case study interviews

Importance in the initial briefings / workshops

Ensure there is consistent advice and continuity in assessment teams and staff during the assessment of applications

73% of respondents

76%-78% of participants

Yes Yes

Improve the way Council communicates with applicants and other relevant stakeholders to ensure communication is prompt and timely

72% of respondents

78% of participants

Yes Yes

Improve the way Council’s decisions and policies are made transparent and available to applicants and the public

65% of respondents

72% of participants

Yes Yes

Provide support to projects that have multiple benefits to the region (e.g. local employment opportunities, growing local businesses, tourism, etc). This might include assistance to navigate the planning approval process

65% of respondents


Yes Yes

Key Findings – Improvements

Four improvements have been identified by respondents to the community survey as the most important suggestions for improvements. Each of these has also been highly ranked by the focus groups, and featured in the important suggestions for improvements arising from the one-on-one case study interviews and the initial briefings/workshops.


2 Recommendations


Key recommendations

These recommendations are intended to assist the Council to make timely, meaningful progress on the stakeholder engagement findings.

The key recommendations are:

1. Commit to an action plan: Prepare a plan of action which responds to these key recommendations, to be announced on 30 November 2019, in line with public commitments the Council gave on 16 July 2019

2. Quick wins: Identify the ‘quick wins’ responses that the Council can implement quickly

3. Current activities: Review what the Council is already doing in this area and use or adapt it to respond to the stakeholder engagement findings

4. Update communications and engagement protocols: Establish response times, quality of information, and processes to proactively engage with the applicants, stakeholders and the community and respond to queries and comments.

5. Improve communication and education materials: Develop a suite of communications to assist applicants and the broader community to understand the planning and development processes. Materials must be tailored to different community and stakeholder needs.

6. Learn from others: Review what other like/kindred Councils are doing in this area, and adapt their approaches and learnings to respond to the stakeholder engagement findings

7. Specific responses: Identify specific responses to particular issues that have been raised, and devise proactive responses to these

8. Map the customer experience: Investigate and identify the customer experience steps in the Council’s planning and development services, and align these with the Council’s statutory obligations in development assessment, the Council’s internal procedures and milestones for development assessment, and the customer’s milestones and for their proposed development

9. Report on progress: Commit to regular updates for external stakeholders on how the Council is making progress on delivering these recommendations

RecommendationsRecommendation #1: Commit to an action plan

Prepare a plan of action which responds to these key recommendations, to be announced on 30 November 2019, in line with public commitments the Council gave on 16 July 2019

For consideration:

- By November 30 2019:

- Update the Better Pathways to Planning project with this report and these recommendations

- Include the Better Pathways to Planning initiative in the suite of high profile, significant undertakings by the Council

- Devise a 6-12 month action plan for delivering on these recommendations and other investigations and work which come about through implementing the project

- Announce the Council’s commitment to the project and the first tranche of initiatives on or about 30 November 2019

- Attend to other recommendations and suggestions herein

Recommendation #2: Quick wins

Identify the ‘quick wins’ responses that the Council can implement quickly

For consideration:

- Review the findings set out in this report, and identify where the Council can respond with ’quick wins’ – initiatives which will have immediate effect for little or no additional resources or procedural changes

- This might involve combining or abridging initiatives identified in these Recommendations

- An example that was alluded to during the stakeholder engagement was adding value to the pre-application meetings by, e.g. providing for on-site meetings, audio recording of meetings, follow-up meetings where specific expertise is found to be needed


Recommendations

Recommendation #3: Current activities

Review what the Council is already doing in this area and use or adapt it to respond to the stakeholder engagement findings.

For consideration:

- Review the progress and findings of the Council’s internal engagement of staff on the planning and assessment services, consider what outcomes can be aligned with the findings and recommendations of this report, and how that process can be brought into the other initiatives that are contemplated in these recommendations.

- Undertake an audit of activities that all Council departments are undertaking in the areas of customer relations, and particular areas which have a front-of-house customer/applicant facing role, and areas which are likely to have input into the assessment of development applications (Conduct Audit of customer facing activities)

- Review these against the issues and suggestions for improvements that have been highlighted in this report, and generate ‘evolving case study’ learnings on the most successful initiatives for application elsewhere

- Package these for inclusion into the Better Pathways to Planning action plan under Recommendation #1

Recommendation #4: Update communication and engagement protocols

Establish response times, quality of information, and processes to proactively engage with the applicants, stakeholders and the community and respond to queries and comments.

For consideration:

- Establish clearer guidelines on the roles and responsibilities of staff relating to planning and development of applications to establish clear expectations

- Establish response timeframes for responding to correspondence

- Establish timeframes for when information should be issued to the applicants, community and external stakeholders about planning matters and development applications, to ensure that there is sufficient time for relevant parties to respond

- Establish clearer processes and templates for staff to use when communicating with each other about the decision making process, the status of applications, the criteria for decision making, and the rationale underpinning decisions

- Establish clearer processes and templates for staff to use when communicating with applicants, external stakeholders and the community about the decision making process, the status of applications, the criteria for decision making, decision and the rationale

- To provide consistency, establish clearer protocols about the type of information that should be shared with applicants, the community and stakeholders regarding the assessment of applications

- Develop processes aligned with the Council’s Customer Service Charter

Recommendation #5: Improve communication and education materials

Develop a suite of communications to assist applicants and the broader community to understand the planning and development processes. Materials must be tailored to different community and stakeholder needs.

For consideration:

- Information / fact sheets / flow charts (hard copy and uploaded to the Council website) outlining the steps of the development assessment process for the most frequent types of development applications

- A plain English guide to development assessment jargon

- Enable Council to receive well-informed and substantive submissions by providing clear information and tips on what constitutes a submission, in language understood for the the community.

- Put information online about what information the Council staff need in order to give advice


RecommendationsRecommendation #6: Learn from others

Review what other like-minded/kindred Councils are doing in this area, and adapt their approaches and learnings to respond to the stakeholder engagement findings

For consideration:

- Visit Councils which are:

- Nearby, in the region

- In growth areas, particularly south east Queensland

- Of a size (land and population), configuration (major historic city, coastal communities, hinterland, etc), and proximity to a State capital that are similar to the Gympie Region

- Of a population that the Gympie region is likely to have (or aspire to) in the next 10 years (say by 2030)

and review initiatives that they have in place that relate to the issues and suggestions for improvements that have been raised in this report.

- Generate ‘case study’ learnings on the most successful initiatives for application in Gympie, and package these for inclusion into the Better Pathways to Planning action plan under Recommendation #1

Recommendation #7: Specific responses

Identify specific responses to particular issues that have been raised, anddevise proactive responses to these.

For consideration:

- Review the particular issues and suggestions for improvements in this report, and devise appropriate responses to specific matters so that the stakeholders who contributed to this report will see the Council attending to issues that they have raised

- Examples of specific issues and suggestions for improvements that could be initiated quickly could include:

- Written minutes of pre-application meetings

- On-site meetings with (intending) applicants

- Negotiate conditions of approval prior to Council meeting where at the proposed development will be approved

- Work to increase the speed of the process, and not work to the ‘due date’ which is the ‘last date’ so that important matters are not left unresolved and documents aren’t rushed

- Regular workshops/advice to educate/train people on the formal processes and the ’Gympie way of doing things’

- Examples of specific issues and suggestions for improvements that are complex and that could be initiated over a longer period could include:

- Clarify (for the Councillors, Council staff, and the Gympie regional community) the role, responsibilities and duties of care of Councillors in the areas associated with planning and development services – so that all parties can adhere to the key principles of good government —equity, transparency, integrity and accountability - as referenced and applied in the Belcarra report

- All internal Council disciplines/specialists to write their advice in a common, useful format based on addressing the requirements of the planning scheme

- Consolidate and agree on the internal agendas for development assessment before engaging with applicants or issuing written advice

- Provide internal education/training for non-planning areas of Council about the planning scheme, the assessment process, and the writing of reasonable conditions

- Co-location of all staff (related to planning and development services) in the same building, build good working relationships across the Council areas that need to interact frequently

- Better integration of teams working on the strategies and assessing development against the planning scheme

- A selected panel (can involve both internal Council staff and external experts) who can advise both applicants and the Council on how best to interpret the planning scheme requirements and development assessment processes that should apply to unusual or complex projects

- Create a role for a qualified/experienced planning advisor who can assist both applicants and Council staff to more efficiently progress the preparation and assessment of applications (Need to check probity requirements around this)


Recommendations

Recommendation #8: Map the customer experience

Investigate and identify the customer experience steps in the Council’s planning and development services, and align these with the Council’s statutory obligations in development assessment, the Council’s internal procedures and milestones for development assessment, and the customer’s milestones and for their proposed development.

For consideration:

- Review the online development assessments processes used by other Councils (eg Bundaberg’s) – as per Recommendation #4

- Expand the ‘process’ to include the ‘enquirer’, the ‘potential applicant’ who needs particular assistance in deciding whether to proceed or not

- The role and/or utility of an ‘Info pack’ (helpful hints, suggestions, resources, case studies, etc)

- ‘Likely approval times’ – based on current and anticipated work flow of development applications, and making allowances for unforeseen delays (which will inevitably occur), a rule-of-thumb estimate of the time it might take to secure an approval for the most frequent types of development applications

- Offer a ‘Personal Case Manager’ option (perhaps for an additional fee, TBC) guaranteed for the duration of the development assessment journey, with reciprocal obligations for performance which, if met, will almost certainly result in a much reduced assessment period, more concise, acceptable and relevant conditions of approval.

Recommendation #9: Report on progress

Commit to regular updates for external stakeholders on how the Council is making progress on delivering on these recommendations

For consideration:

- Continue the Council’s media releases, stakeholder updates and project updates on the Better Pathways to Planning

- Commit to a regular frequency of communication and messaging (perhaps quarterly) through regular communication channels

- Utilise the representatives who have given freely of their time in the face-to-face engagement activities to get ongoing feedback on how they view the Council’s efforts

https://www.bundaberg.qld.gov.au/planning-building-application-process

https://www.gympie.qld.gov.au/better-pathways


3 Project background


Project purpose

The Council engaged Articulous to be the independent third party to run an external engagement program on delivering better customer experiences of the Council’s planning and development services.

Key features if the engagement program were :

- Articulous’ role as an independent third party to carry out the engagement

- Engagement activities which check and build on the outcomes of each subsequent activity

- Engagement activities with stakeholders with recent experience of the Council’s planning and development assessment processes

- Listening to and recording the concerns of stakeholders, but also recording suggestions for improvements that can be made to address the concerns

- Appropriate touchpoints with, and involvement of, the Council’s staff

- A community survey informed by the stakeholder engagement, and which enables everyone in the region to have their say

These extracts are from the GYMPIE TIMES edition of 18 July 2019.

The article reflects the Council’s announcement on this initiative on 16 July 2019.


Engagement purpose

The purpose of the engagement was to:

• Understand and acknowledge why specific negative perceptions exist and how better planning and development services can be delivered

• Treat those with negative or critical views with respect

These examples of specific outcomes that are sought were brought to the attention of all participants in the engagement activities:

• … to make the planning and development approval processes more transparent so that the Council’s customers understand what can and can’t be negotiated (by virtue of the 2013 Planning Scheme provisions and State Government legislation) as their development application is assessed

• … to assist intending applicants lodge better development applications so the Council can offer more meaningful and timely assistance to applicants

• … to enable Council staff to offer more helpful communication, particularly with applicants who are not familiar with the development approval processes

• … some applicants may not make properly made applications, and these can trigger more detailed information requests from the Council and perhaps cause unnecessary delays

• … enable applicants, the community and the Council see the ‘direct line of sight’ between proposed developments and their potential benefits to the local community and the local economy, thus to adopt a more co-operative approach

The Council wanted to use the engagement to assist the Council to better define and measure what ‘better planning and development assessment services’ are.

This was thought to be reflected by measures such as:

• Applicants understanding why the procedures and processes are followed

• There being no surprises as the Council and the applicant work through the development assessment process

• The public interest and well-being of the Gympie community are maintained and enhanced

The report was expected to highlight any opportunities to improve Council’s planning and development assessment services identified in the constructive input, facts and data from external stakeholders. The Council intended to start implementing improvements immediately following that.

The engagement activities were NOT about …

• A biased process, favouring a particular interest, or predetermined outcomes

• A review of current applications, or proposed developments, or the Council’s proposed planning scheme amendments

• A collection of opinions based on hearsay and gossip

• About grandstanding or political point scoring, or using the engagement activities as platforms for vested interests

• A limited or invite-only community survey, or one which is does not draw on the experience of those who have participated in the engagement activities or

• Gossip about who said what, about who; or a witch-hunt against anyone

Participants in the one-one-one case study interviews and the four focus groups were advised that:


Stakeholders engaged

Target stakeholders:• Frequent applicants: repeat applicants, consultants, and local developers /

builders

• Occasional applicants: ‘Mum and Dad’ applicants, local residents, submitters

• Significant influencers: large local employers, State Referral Agencies, Chambers of Commerce

• Councillors and Council staff

93 people participated in the face-to-face engagement activities and 134 people completed the community survey.

These included:

- Consultants and State agencies’ representatives

- Business interests

- Individuals who have lodged development applications in the past 3 years (both in Gympie and elsewhere)

- Individuals who have never lodged development applications

- Individuals who have made submissions (objections) to proposed developments

- Gympie region residents

- Gympie region business owners

- Government employees

- People in businesses ranging from sole traders and ‘Mum and Dad’ businesses up to large businesses employing 25+ people

- Members and representatives of the Gympie, Mary Valley and Tin Can Bay Chambers of Commerce

- Council staff

- Councillors

Notes:

• Attendance of Council staff at the briefing/workshop was directed by the Council

• We understand all Chambers of Commerce were invited to bring representatives of their respective Boards to the briefing/workshop. Not all took up this offer.

• The people involved in the one-on-one case study interviews and the focus groups were invited where their names appeared on both stakeholder lists provided to Articulous by the Council and the local Chambers of Commerce.

• Attendance of Council staff at the Focus Group was directed by the Council


Scope

The engagement strategy scope is summarised as follows:

Engagement phases

• Phase 1: A co-design workshop with senior Council staff, and briefings/workshops with the Council staff, Councillors, and the Chambers of Commerce Boards

• Phase 2: One-on-one and small group case study interviews (16 of), four focus groups (frequent and recent applicants, consultants, business interests, and Council staff), Council briefing, and a community survey

• Phase 3: Analysis, reporting, Council announcements and release of documents

Date Activity Who we engaged Number of participants

^

14 Aug Briefing / Workshop

Council staff 15*


Councillors (and senior staff attended)

10 (+ senior staff*)


Chambers of Commerce Board representatives

10

2 – 5 Sept

16 one-on-one case study interviews

Varity of stakeholders with direct and recent experience with the Council’s planning and development services

20

9 Sept Focus Group #1 Frequent and recent applicants 11

9 Sept Focus Group #2 Consultants and State agencies 3

10 Sept Focus Group #3 Business interests 10

10 Sept Focus Group #4 Council staff 23

18 Sept Council briefing Council senior staff 6

Total face-to-face engagements 93

24 Sept to 11 Oct 2019

Community survey

The entire region was invited to participate via Council’s website, stakeholder database and social media

134

Total 227

Note: ^ These are actual attendance numbers, not all those who were invited* These figures are not included in the total to avoid double counting


Analyse the outcomes

Recommend initiatives

Council responses

3

Focus on improvements

What are the main issues?

Who are the stakeholders?

A strategy for engagement

1 2Identify

Improvements:

Listen to people with first hand experience

Listen to experts and key stakeholders

Listen to the community

Keep people informed on progress

Engagement phases


Focus on improvements

Co-design workshop

Input by

Councillors, Council staff,

Chambers of Commerce

Media release and social media posts schedule

Report

Council announcement of

initiatives

In-depth case study interviews (16 of)

Four Focus Groups

Council Briefing

Community survey

12 3

Engagement phases


4 Major findings


Shorthand reference Issue/perception

The Council is too complex

The Council is more complex than many in the community may expect/perceive

The rules say ‘no’ Some Council planning rules seem to hinder the capacity of businesses to establish or expand

The Council says ‘no’

The Council can appear to be unwilling to make information available and/or make timely planning decisions

Councillors are not experts

People expect Councillors are across the many technical and complex issues they have to deal with

Shackled to the past Often the Council inherits the outcomes of decisions made by previous Councils and/or laws which have not kept up with the times

The Council can’t do everything

The Council’s resources - and its ability to influence the outcomes of issues that may be out of its control - are limited

Tell us more Some think the Council could be more proactive with engagement and feedback on planning and development initiatives.

Just shoot the messenger

Some Council staff can often feel that they are unfairly caught in a ‘shoot the messenger’ situation with disgruntled applicants

Get an ‘enabling’ culture

An ‘enabling’ culture for economic development needs to be developed across all Council departments

Shorthand reference Issue/perception

Bring back the good old days

Some people expect the Council’s decisions to be less complex and more informal ‘like the good old days’

Work it out yourself Residents and local businesses are expected to know how the Council works, and can find it hard to get assistance

It’s all too complex Planning and development assessment have become very complex areas full of jargon and red tape, and are incomprehensible to many

It’s all too hard Some people see the complexity, cost and/or approval times are reasons for not proceeding with business proposals or expansions

Not enough info Some applicants do not provide enough information about their development proposal, and this adds time and expense to the assessment process

It’s the law The legal consequences of actions (or inaction) by development proponents, the Council, or third parties can often dominate the decisions that are made.

Fake news Skewed reporting of Council decisions or vested interests in popular news media and in social media posts can mislead the community

I don’t know what to do

Some people feel powerless to have their say on development proposal that they think will have an impact on them

The internet doesn’t work

Some people have inadequate internet access and so struggle to use on-line Council services

Issues and perceptions about the Council: Issues and perceptions about the customers in the planning process:

These tables summarises the initial issues and perceptions that we were able to deduce from material provided by the Council prior to the commencement of the engagement activities.

Initial briefings/workshops


About …The top 3 issues/perceptions from the Council staff briefing / workshop

The top 3 issues/perceptions from the Councillors’ briefing / workshop

The top 3 issues/perceptions from the Chambers of Commerce reps briefing / workshop

… the Council

The Council is too complexThe Council is more complex than many in the community may expect/perceive.

The Council is too complexThe Council is more complex than many in the community may expect/perceive.

Get an enabling cultureAn ‘enabling’ culture for economic development needs to be developed across all Council departments.

Shackled to the pastOften the Council inherits the outcomes of decisions made by previous Councils and/or laws which have not kept up with the times

Get an enabling cultureAn ‘enabling’ culture for economic development needs to be developed across all Council departments.

Council says ‘no’The Council can appear to be unwilling to make information available and/or make timely planning decisions.

Shoot the messengerSome Council staff can often feel that they are unfairly caught in a ‘shoot the messenger’ situation with disgruntled applicants.

Tell us moreSome think the Council could be more proactive with engagement and feedback on planning and development initiatives.

… the Customer

Its all too complexPlanning and development assessment have become very complex areas full of jargon and red tape, and are incomprehensible to many


Not enough infoSome applicants do not provide enough information about their development proposal, and this adds time and expense to the assessment process

Not enough infoSome applicants do not provide enough information about their development proposal, and this adds time and expense to the assessment process

Its all too hardSome people see the complexity, cost and/or approval times are reasons for not proceeding with business proposals or expansions


Bring back the good old daysSome people expect the Council’s decisions to be less complex and more informal ‘like the good old days’

I don’t know what to doSome people feel powerless to have their say on development proposal that they think will have an impact on them

I don’t know what to doSome people feel powerless to have their say on development proposal that they think will have an impact on them

Finding: Most people agree on what the main issues are.

As part of the briefings given to the Councillors, Council staff and the Chambers of Commerce Board representatives, a short live polling exercise was run. We asked the participants what the three most important issues are (from the lists on the previous page) about the Council and the customers, and how best to address the top three issues.

This table shows the results with the top ranked issues/perceptions listed under each of the groups. The coloured cells shows where the same issue/perception is highly ranked across two or more of the groups.




Findings - overall

There are significant similarities between what the Councillors, Council staff and the Chambers of Commerce Board representatives consider the most important issues/perceptions to be.

The most important issues/perceptions are set out in the table on the previous page - these are shared across these groups:

• The Council is too complex: The Council is more complex than many in the community may expect/perceive

• Get an enabling culture: An ‘enabling’ culture for economic development needs to be developed across all Council departments

• Its all too complex: Planning and development assessment have become very complex areas full of jargon and red tape, and are incomprehensible to many

• Not enough info: Some applicants do not provide enough information about their development proposal, and this adds time and expense to the assessment process

• I don’t know what to do: Some people feel powerless to have their say on development proposal that they think will have an impact on them

Applicants should be

encouraged to contact

Council earlier in the

process.

Councillor comment: Councillors

briefing/workshop

ImprovementsAll three groups had suggestions for improving the experience for customers. These can be broadly summarised as:

• Improved leadership and direction from and within Council

• Much improved communication within the Council, and between the Council and customers, applicants and the community

• More planning staff, more resources

• Consideration of customer liaison officers or customer champions

• Additional assistance from Council to applicants to assist them navigating the development assessment processes

• Information/fact sheets on Council planning and development assessment processes, both in hard copy and online

• Drafting a new planning scheme

• Streamline the development assessment and approval processes for applicants

• Introduce incentives to attract business to Gympie and for properly made applications

Have a 'can do' culture

rather than 'compliance'

culture

Chambers of Commerce Board representatives

comment: briefing/workshop

Where relevant and appropriate this section includes verbatim words and phrases from participants, and/or paraphrased inputs


One-on-one case study interviews

About the interviews

We conducted 16 one-on-one interviews with a variety of individuals and small groups.

The people involved in the one-on-one case study Interviews were invited where their names appeared on both stakeholder lists provided to Articulous by Council and the local Chambers of Commerce.

The interviews were run by Articulous, independent of the Council, with no Council staff or Councillors present. We assured interviewees of anonymity and confidentiality of their identity and contributions.

The interviewees are representative of the following cohorts in the region:

- Frequent applicants

- Business interests, local employers, local businesses, a variety of small businesses, and medium to large businesses

- Local residents

- A variety of development types and contexts, particularly, subdivision, residential development, and projects in rural areas

Occasional applicants, consultants, external employers, external residents, and experience with non-standard projects (‘other’) and utilities, and external employers were all represented in proportions that we consider appropriate to the sample size.

We used the key questions (see the table at right and next page) to systematically record the qualitative information/input. The interviewees could see the record of the meeting being made (projected onto a larger screen) as we progressed through the interview, and we reviewed all of their inputs with them at the end of the interview to ensure they were happy with what was being recorded. We offered to make the record of their interview available to them, but only one interviewee took up this offer.

We then summarised the findings for input into Focus Group sessions, Council briefing, and the community survey

Interview questions RationaleCurrent activity1 Do you have any development or

other applications currently being assessed or processed by the Council?

To ensure there was no expectation that our work would have any influence over the outcomes of the development assessment

2 Do you have any current legal action which involves the Council?

To ensure that any material or matters covered would be without prejudice

Your experience3 What experiences have you had with

other Councils?To enable a comparison between the experiences had at different Councils

4. What has been your experience with the Council’s planning and development assessment processes?

Any introduction question, designed to enable the interviewee to ‘get things off their chest’

5. Did you understand the development assessment processes?

Sets the benchmark for relating their experiences from that point

6. What did you like about the development assessment process?

To draw out positive experiences

7. What did you dislike about the development assessment process?

To draw out negative experiences

Assistance8 Did you get enough information and

advice up-front?To reflect on whether this was the right information for their situation/project

9. What were the main professions or consultants you needed to be involved to assist you?

To identify which professions were needed

What would you change / improve?10 If you could have your time over

again, what would: To reflect on the experience, what had been learnt, and what behaviours would have been preferred by the interviewee and others who were involved

A You change about your approach?B. You like others to change?

11. What improvements in the overall process would have benefitted you?

To focus on improvements based on lessons learnt

12. What (if anything) do you want to do about your project or concern now?

To check on the status of the initial project, and what its current status is

Any other questions/comments?13. Questions Other comments as may be relevant14. Comments

Key questions asked of each interviewee

GRC staff really listened,

had support for the

project, let’s find a way

to make it work

What an interviewee liked

about their experience –

One-on-one interviews



c Frequent applicant

c Occasional applicant

c Business interest

c Other interest:

Consultant: Where from? Employers: Development type:

c Planning

c Surveying

c Engineering

c Legal

c Real estate

c Other:

c Local resident

c Local business

c Local organisation

c External resident

c External business

c External organisation

c Other:

c Large local (25+)

c Medium local (10-24)

c Small / medium local (5-10)

c Small local (<5)

c ‘Mum and Dad’ business

c Sole trader

c External

c Other:

c Subdivision

c Residential

c Commercial

c Rural

c Transport

c Facility

c Building

c Other:

Developer / builder

Submitter / objector

Chamber of Commerce:

Other characteristics:

c Local developer / builder

c External developer / builder

c Other

c Local submitter / objector

c External submitter / objector

c Gympie

c Tin Can Bay

c Mary Valley

c Rainbow Beach


About the interviewees

We asked each of the interviewees to identify which of the following characteristics best explained them. This assisted our analysis, and enabled us to established the representative validity of the interviewees.

About the interviewees

We asked each of the interviewees to identify which of the following characteristics best explained them. This assisted our analysis, and enabled us to established the representative validity of the interviewees.

Its like a game of piñata

– the lollies are the

game, but you’re blind

folded

What an interviewee disliked



What’s been their experiences with the Council’s planning and development assessment process?

Whilst some interviewees had positive experiences, many others citied issues such as:

• Jargon

• Receiving confusing advice

• Difficulty in getting information

• Lack of timeliness and consistency

• Fees and charges

• Lack of a business approach

• Lack of internal communication

• More complexity, less certainty

• Onerous conditions of approval

• Third party appeals

• Lack of public education on the planning assessment processes



What interviewees LIKED What interviewees DISLIKED

• Support from Council staff

• Pre-application meetings (and minutes), and site visits

• Expert helpful advice reduced time, costs and uncertainty

• Councillor(s) availability and assistance

* Every interviewee had something they liked about their experience

• Customers don't know what to comply with

• Council staff can seem to lack confidence when giving advice

• ‘Us v them' attitude - customers felt like they were on their own

• Delays in processing, unresponsiveness

• Unrealistic conditions of approval

• Fees and costs too high

• Inconsistent advice from Council


Findings: Every interviewee had aspects of their interaction with the Council’s planning and development services that they liked.Many interviewees had several aspects of their experiences that they disliked, and would have liked to have changed.These tables summarise these inputs made by the interviewees on these topics.

What interviewees would have changed about THEIR approach

What interviewees would have liked OTHERS to change

• Frequent, regular interactions with senior Council staff

• Don't go it alone, get support from consultants and other like-minded people

• Go somewhere else, outside the Gympie Region

• Find a site where there will be no chance of 3rd party appeals

• Confirm everything in writing

• Help, not hinder, enquiries and approval processes

• Better, more consistent interactions with applicants, the public, Councillors

• More consistent, transparent advice and decision making

• Councillors decide on the direction for the region, and direct staff to achieve this

• Reduce development assessment and approval costs to reflect the low margins of developing in the region

Council encourages you

to make the application,

but then you have to

find your way through

the maze

What an interviewee said



It’s a fine line between a

partnership with the

Council and adversarial

relationship, but my

preference is a partnership

with the Council

What an interviewee said






Finding: Summary of general and specific improvementsThese tables summarise the improvements derived from the inputs from the interviewees. General improvements are a set of initiatives that if implemented would have broad positive effect. The specific improvements are initiatives that would deliver benefits on specific issues raised by the interviewees.

General improvements CommentCouncillors do strategy, staff implement

Councillors decide on the direction for the region, and direct staff to achieve this

Council leadership for important projects

…. that meet the region’s needs

Transparent Council policies /opinions /decisions

Transparency of the Council's position on planning and development issues

Confidence in the development assessment steps and timing The Council should strive to provide clarity and

certainty about the development assessment process and information requirementsClear information

requirements

Council staff are helpful and resolve issues

Council staff have an approach of being helpful (interpreting the planning scheme and the assessment processes) and offer alternative ways to resolve issues

Effective communication between applicants, the public, and the Council

The Council Staff should provide and facilitate better, more frequent, and more consistent interactions with applicants, the public, and Councillors

Written records of meetings/advice

… for increased certainty about what was advised and agreed

Quick responses, timely advice

The Council staff should work to increase the speed of the process, and not work to the ‘due date’ which is the ‘last date’ so that important matters are not left unresolved and documents aren’t rushed

Specific improvements Comment

Review of intensification thresholds

… to bring them into line with contemporary best practice and industry/community expectations

Reducing vexatious third party appeals

… so that worthwhile projects that Council has approved are not unnecessarily delayed, and the applicant and the Council do not have to outlay significant money in court costs

A panel of experts for unusual development

Where an unusual/different project is proposed, have a one-on-one conversation with an independent panel of experts in which the proponents credentials are presented and an approach is formulated which might include ways of trialling the project, ways of bringing the community along with the project, ways of allowing the project to start, with review points, and take it forward with better information/practices/operations

Reposition development compliance services

Development compliance should be separate to planning and development to allow for transparency e.g. Office of CEO, Regulatory Services (shouldn’t be auditing themselves)

Prepare an agritourism strategy

… to include Information about how to set up a small scale agritourism business and what to do before expanding

Priority assessment of significant projects

… that deliver multiple benefits to the region

Assessment of the applicant’s skill

Appraise the character of the applicant and their ability to progress the development application through the in the assessment process and comply with likely conditions of approval, and how they interact with people who are materially affected by the proposal

Cross-check Council strategies against the existing rules

… to ensure they are mutually supportive

Reduce Council fees and charges

… to reflect the low profit margins of developing in the region

Create a regional business and industry precinct

Identify a regional business and industry precinct and fast track the development of it



Focus groups

Focus groups program

Each focus group was lead through the same program to ensure the outcomes could be compared and collated:

1. Introduction:

a. The purpose of the engagement, and the focus groups

b. The engagement phases

c. Background to Articulous and the facilitators

d. Rules around anonymity, confidentiality, and what the focus groups are NOT about

e. What the main concerns were from the participants

2. Information about the participants (acquired by live polling):

a. Frequency of applications, types of projects, etc

b. What types of interaction they have had with the Council’s planning and development services over the past 3 years

3. A summary of the findings to date:

a. Briefings/workshops

b. One-on-one case study interviews

4. Each participant’s preferences about the suggested improvements (acquired by live polling):

a. Which of the improvements would improve each participant's experience of the Council’s planning and development services

b. A discussion about how the highest ranked improvements could be progressed

5. Any other improvements that the participants wanted noted or discussed

6. A review of the main concerns noted at the start of the meeting to ensure these matters had been addressed

About the participants

The participants of the focus groups were sourced from the Council, and invitations to participate were issued by the Council. The Council determined who of its staff would participate in the Council staff focus group.

The focus groups participants are representative of the following cohorts in the region:

- Local residents

- Frequent and occasional applicants

- Business interests, local employers, local businesses, a variety of small businesses, and medium to large businesses

- Consultants

- A variety of planning applications over the past three years – across planning enquiries or questions to the Council, pre-application meetings (both formal and informal), development or building applications (development applications, building and/or plumbing applications), making submissions or objections to a proposed development, and other types of applications

Note that attendance at the focus groups was hindered by unforeseen business matters, and the bushfires.

Note also that it was almost a 50/50 split between the number of external stakeholder participants and Council staff.



45%

60%

70%

64%

74%72%

77%

62%

74%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Findings: The general improvements arising from the one-on-one case study interviews were broadly supported by the focus groups.

The ranking of the general improvements across all four focus groups is shown below, and the general improvements were arranged under three headings: Effective Communication, Enabling Culture, and Council Leadership.

This chart tells us which general improvements most of the 47 participants (across all of the focus groups) support, including Council staff. Each participant was asked to select all the options that they think apply. The % figures are the proportion of participants across all focus groups that chose that option.

Focus groups – delivering the general improvementsGroupedgeneralimprovements

Related general improvements

EffectiveCommunication

• Clear information requirements• Effective communication between applicants, the public,

and the Council• Written records of meetings/advice• Quick responses, timely advice

EnablingCulture

• Transparent Council policies /opinions /decisions• Confidence in the development assessment steps and

timing• Council staff are helpful and resolve issue

Councilleadership

• Councillors do strategy, staff implement• Council leadership for important projects

Councillors do strategy, staff

implement

Council leadership for important

projects

Transparent Council policies

/opinions /decisions

Confidence in the development

assessment steps and timing

Clear information requirements

Council staff are helpful and

resolve issues

Effective communication

between applicants, the public, and the

Council

Written records of meetings/advice

Quick responses, timely advice



Focus groups – delivering the general improvements

Grouped General improvements

Focus Groups’ suggestions for delivery

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

• Clear information requirements

• Effective communication between applicants, public, and Council

• Written records of meetings/advice

• Quick responses, timely advice

• Plain English factsheets eg ‘how to’ handbooks, FAQs

• Online step by step process

• Online checklists for pre-application, informal self-assessment

• Regular workshops/advice to educate/train people on the formal processes and the ’Gympie way of doing things’

• All internal Council disciplines/specialists to write their advice in a common, useful format based on addressing the requirements of the planning scheme

• Everyone to write and speak in plain English

• Put information online about what information the Council staff need in order to give advice

• Invest in an increased digital capacity, with much better systems that ‘talk to each other’

• Co-locate all staff (related to planning and development services) in the same building, build good working relationships across the Council areas that need to interact frequently

This table summarises the focus groups’ combined suggestions for delivery of the general improvements.

Grouped General improvements

Focus Groups’ suggestions for delivery

ENABLING CULTURE

• Transparent Council policies /opinions /decisions

• Confidence in the development assessment steps and timing

• Council staff are helpful and resolve issues

• Review the planning scheme

• Publish the assessment notes/report (online)

• Make all communication easy to understand

• Consolidate and agree to the internal agendas for development assessment before engaging with applicants or issuing written advice

• Review whether the Council can legally prioritise the processing and assessment of significant projects ahead of ‘normal applications’

• Retain and improve the pre-application process

• Act promptly, don’t wait ‘till the statutory deadline

COUNCIL LEADERSHIP

• Councillors do strategy, staff implement

• Council leadership for important projects

• Clarify (for the Councillors, Council staff, and the Gympie regional community) the role, responsibilities and duties of care of Councillors in the areas associated with planning and development services – so that all parties can adhere to the key principles of good government — equity, transparency, integrity and accountability - as referenced and applied in the Crime and Corruption Commissions’ Operation Belcarra report

• Proactively prepare existing appropriately located, designated and serviced land for new and expanding businesses that will bring demonstrable economic benefits to the region

• Promote/market the readiness of these

• Devise tangible ways to provide practical financial assistance/incentives for small and start-up businesses



30%

19%

51%

15%

23%

43%

15%

64%

47%

53%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Focus groups – delivering the specific improvements

Findings: The specific improvements arising from the one-on-one case study interviews were partially supported by the focus groups.

The ranking of the specific improvements across all four focus groups is shown below, and the highest ranking specific improvements are:• Cross-checking strategies against the existing rules *• Create a regional business and industry precinct *• A panel of experts for unusual development / priority assessment of major projects *• Reduce Council fees and charges *

This chart tells us which specific improvements most of the 47 participants (across all of the focus groups) support, including Council staff. Each participant was asked to select all the options that they think apply. The % figures are the proportion of participants across all focus groups that chose that option.

Review of intensification

thresholds

Reducing vexatious third party appeals

A panel of experts for

unusual development

Reposition development compliance

services

Prepare an agritourism

strategy

Priority assessment of

significant projects

Assessment the applicant’s skill

Cross-check Council

strategies against the

existing rules


Create a regional

business and industry precinct

**

** *



Specific improvements

Focus Group suggestions for delivery

Cross-check Council strategies against the existing rules

• Draft a new planning scheme

• Amend the current planning scheme to support the strategies

• Better integration of teams working on the strategies and assessing development against the planning scheme

• Test the strategies/rules for implementation before they are put out into the public arena

• Strategies should be ‘reference documents’ within planning scheme to make them easy to amend, and to give them ‘teeth’ in the assessment of development applications

• Deliver a robust community engagement framework when seeking the community’s comments

Create a regional business and industry precinct

• Find out true nature of businesses and what siting and infrastructure they need to operate, especially transport businesses - identify complimentary businesses for co-location

• Review the critical success factors at play with existing models – e.g. Sunshine Coast University Hospital Precinct, Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise group

• Identify who pays for the land acquisition, development, infrastructure, promotion, and management - harness local businesses (especially real estate agencies) to promote it – ensure there are user friendly terms for private sector involvement – appointment someone with vision and experience to oversee it

• The Council can be the champion for the project - secure state government involvement and streamlined processes

This table summarises the focus groups’ combined suggestions for delivery of the specific improvements.

Focus groups

Specific improvements

Focus Group suggestions for delivery

A panel of experts for unusual development

and

Priority assessment of major projects

• A selected panel (can involve both internal Council staff and external experts) who can advise both applicants and the Council on how best to interpret the planning scheme requirements and development assessment processes that should apply to the project

• Operate at the pre-application discussion stage (or earlier) and allow for iterations and multiple discussions prior to lodgement of the development application

• Promote/package/publicise any existing facilitation/processes as part of this


• Review the financial impacts of Council processes and decisions, especially where they are likely to add to holding costs, additional consultants/experts advices, and compliance costs

• Review and publish how headworks charges are calculated. Consider initiatives such as offset headworks charges, which are not applied until the lot is sold (e.g. Fraser Coast, from 2015)

• Note that this initiative does not necessarily target application fees and other charges as stand-alone items. Participants advise that more significant reductions in the overall cost of development will be achieved through attention to aspects such as:

• Better internal communication to reduce delays

• Consistent advice

• Improving staff retention so that there is continuity across the development assessment process



This list combines additional suggestions for improvements from both the business interests and Council staff Focus Groups (note these are suggestions and have not been tested):

• Consider private sector (business) experience in senior management appointments. Value a ‘can do’ attitude

• Review internal admin processes to speed up outcomes

• Combine (or at least move closer together) important Council areas, e.g. development assessment and economic development

• Create a role for a qualified/experienced planning advisor who can assist both applicants and Council staff to more efficiently progress the preparation and assessment of applications (Need to check probity requirements around this)

• Involve the economic development area of Council in the assessment of major applications

• Provide internal education/training for non-planning areas of Council about the planning scheme, the assessment process, and the writing of reasonable conditions

• Move the location of internal Council specialists to be with, or close to, the development assessment team

• Review the standard development approval conditions for internal use (this could be a quick win)

• Appoint a process improvement specialist within the Council to continually review internal and external processes

Focus groups – additional suggestions for improvementsWhere relevant and appropriate this section includes verbatim words and phrases from

participants, and/or paraphrased inputs


Community survey

About the community survey

The community survey was hosted online by the Council, and available to the public via the Council's website.

It was designed to be focussed on the highly rated improvements that came out of the face-to-face engagement activities. Aspects of the respondent were also collected so that the results could be analysed across the different types of stakeholders in the region.

The survey was promoted though the Council’s updates on the Council’s website.

The survey ran from 23 September to 11 October 2019. 134 people completed the survey.

Community survey questions

1. The following suggestions have come from feedback received throughout the first and second phase of engagement for the project.

Choose the five most important suggestions for improving the Gympie Regional Council’s planning and development processes from the list of ten suggestions below.

- Providing ‘how to’ information online, at Council customer service areas, and during pre-application meetings that will help applicants to understand how the planning process works and have greater confidence in how Council manages the process.

- Improving the way Council’s decisions and policies are made transparent and available to applicants and the public.

- Improving the way Council communicates with applicants and other relevant stakeholders to ensure communication is prompt and timely.

- Ensuring there is consistent advice and continuity in assessment teams and staff during the assessment of applications.

- Updating how meetings with applicants are recorded to provide clarity regarding information requests, and greater certainty in the development application process.

- Providing support services to help applicants resolve issues during the application assessment process.

- Providing education/training opportunities for non-planning and development areas of the Council about the planning scheme and the application assessment processes.

- Amending the planning scheme so that it is consistent with Council’s strategic direction and vision for the Gympie region.

- Providing support to projects that have multiple benefits to the Gympie region (eg, local employment opportunities, growing local businesses, tourism, etc). This might include navigating the planning approval process.

- Applicants are offered education to improve the quality of their applications where needed.

2. Do you have any other improvement ideas or general comments about Council’s planning and development services?



Community survey

Please tell us a little about yourself. Your responses will remain anonymous.

3. Please select which of the following best describes you (Choose as many as you like):

- You have lodged a development application in the last 3 years with Gympie Regional Council

- You have lodged a development application in the last 3 years with Gympie Regional Council and other Australian Councils

- You have never lodged an application with the Council- You have lodged an objection to a proposed development in the last 3 years- I’m not sure

4. Having lodged at least one development application with Council in the last 3 years, which of the following best describes the application?

- Subdivisions- Residential development- Commercial development- Projects in rural areas- Transport projects- Facilities- Building applications

5. Please select which of the following best describes you:

- Gympie region resident- Resident outside of Gympie region- Gympie region business owner- Business owner outside of the Gympie region- Gympie region builder or developer- Builder or developer outside of the Gympie region- Government employee

6. Which of the following best describes your business?

- A large local employer with more than 25 employees- A medium sized local employer with 10-24 employees- A small/medium local employer with 5-9 employers- A small local employer with less than 5 employees- A ‘Mum and Dad’ business- A local sole trader- An employer operating in the Gympie region but based outside the area

7. Are you a member of a Chamber of Commerce?

- Yes- No

8. Which Chamber of Commerce are you a member of?

- Gympie Chamber of Commerce- Tin Can Bay Chamber of Commerce- Mary Valley Chamber of Commerce- Rainbow Beach Chamber of Commerce

9. Are you a consultant who has been involved in development applications with the Council in the past 3 years?

- Yes- No

10. What type of consultant are you?

- Town planning- Surveying- Engineering- Legal- Real Estate



Community survey

What are the most important suggestions for improving the Gympie Regional Council’s planning and development processes?

Respondents were not uniform in their responses to the survey. The table on the following pages and the chart on the pages thereafter set out where some of the different cohorts who responded to the survey have placed different levels of importance on the improvements.

These results reflect, by and large, both the self-interests and the limited knowledge or experiences of each cohort.

In summary:

Those who have never lodged an application

These respondents have placed a much lower level of importance on the Council providing ‘how to’ information online, and to a lesser extent the consistency, communication transparency, applicant support and meeting records improvements. But they have placed a higher level of importance on the project support, Council staff training, and the applicant education improvements.

Those who have lodged applications with the Council recently

These respondents’ views align mostly with the overall outcomes of the survey. But they do see a much lower level of importance for the transparency and project support improvements, and a higher level of importance for the consistency improvement.

Those who have lodged applications with the Council and with other Councils

These respondents have a much lower level of importance for the Council providing ‘how to’ information online, Council staff training and applicant education improvements. They do place a much higher level of importance on the communication improvements, and to a lesser extent the improvements around consistency, transparency, and project support.

Lodging submissions (objections) to proposed developments

These respondents’ responses mirror the responses from those who have lodged applications with the Council and with other Councils.

Gympie region residents

These respondents place a much lower importance on the consistency improvements, and to a lesser extent the improvements around amending the meeting records and applicant education. They do place a higher level of importance on the transparency and planning scheme improvements.

Gympie region businesses

These respondents place a much lower level of importance on the transparency, ‘How to’ information online, and Council staff training improvements, and to a lesser extent the improvements around consistency, communication, project support, the planning scheme, and applicant education. None of their responses exceed the levels of importance in the overall outcomes.

Government employees

These respondents place a much lower level of importance on the communication, transparency, project support, and meeting records improvements, and to a lesser extent the applicant support improvements. They also place a much higher level of importance on the ‘How to’ information online, Council staff training and applicant education improvements.

Local small businesses

These respondents place a much lower level of importance on the communication, transparency and Council staff training improvements, and to a lesser extent the project support, ‘How to‘ information online, planning scheme and applicant education improvements. None of their responses exceed the levels of importance in the overall outcomes.

Local medium-large businesses

These respondents place a much higher level of importance on the communication and applicant support improvements, and to a lesser extent the consistency, and project support improvements. They also place a much lower level of importance on the transparency, meeting records, Council staff training, and applicant education improvements.



Community survey

Chamber of Commerce members

These respondents are dominated by those who are members of the Gympie and Mary Valley Chambers of Commerce. These respondents place much higher level of importance on the communication improvements, and to a lesser extent the consistency, transparency, and meeting records improvements. They also place a much lower level of importance on the Council staff training and applicant education improvements, and to a lesser extent the ‘How to’ information online, and applicant support improvements.

Non-Chamber of Commerce members

These respondents have similar responses to the overall outcomes, but with two exceptions: a much lower level of importance for the communication improvements, and a higher level of importance for the Council staff training improvements.

Consultants

Noting that the consultants’ responses were dominated by those who are town planning consultants, these respondents placed a much higher importance on the project support and meeting records improvements, and to a lesser extent the transparency improvements. They also placed a much lower level of importance on the ‘How to’ information online and applicant education responses, and to a lesser extent the applicant support, planning scheme and applicant education improvements.

Respondents’ ideas for improvements and general comments

101 of the respondents offered their own ideas or comments, and some respondents covered several topics in their responses.

Nearly 90% of the respondents addressed issues and suggestions around communication and inconsistent advice – poor communication, responses being too slow, inconsistent advice, poor staff continuity, lack of an enabling culture, etc

Nearly 30% of respondents addressed issues and suggestions about understanding the planning scheme and the development assessment processes -both being complicated and difficult to understand, impacts of the Council’s interpretations and decisions on residents and businesses, and compliance checks.

Don't make it so hard

for people trying to have

a go

A respondent’s comment

- Community survey

Implement a first class

communication strategy -

that would go a long way

to alleviating the angst in

the business community


- Community survey

Improve the entire

culture so all employees

feel engaged


- Community survey



Community survey


The ranking of the most important suggestions is set out in the table below, and illustrated in the chart on the following page. The extent to which the community survey’s respondent cohorts have ranked the most important suggestions as being much higher, higher, similar, lower, and much lower are noted.

Most important suggestions

Overall rank N

ever

lodg

ed

Lodg

ed in

Gym

pie

Lodg

ed e

lsew

here

Lodg

ed o

bjec

tion

Gym

pie

regi

on re

siden

t

Gym

pie

regi

on b

usin

ess

Gov

ernm

ent e

mpl

oyee

Loca

l sm

all b

usin

ess

Loca

l med

ium

/ la

rge

busin

ess

Cham

ber o

f Com

mer

ce

mem

ber

Non

-Cha

mbe

r of

Com

mer

ce

Cons

ulta

nt

1 Consistency

Highest

Lower Higher Higher Higher Much lower Lower Similar Similar Higher Higher Similar Similar

2 Communication Lower Similar Much higher

Much higher Similar Lower Much

lowerMuch lower

Much higher

Much higher

Much lower Similar

3 Transparency Lower Much lower Higher Higher Higher Much

lowerMuch lower

Much lower

Much lower Higher Similar Higher

4 Project support Higher Much lower Higher Higher Similar Lower Much

lower Lower Higher Similar Similar Much higher

5 ‘How to’ information

Medium

Much lower Similar Much

lowerMuch lower Similar Much

lowerMuch higher Lower Similar Lower Similar Much

lower

6 Applicant support Lower Similar Similar Similar Similar Similar Lower Similar Much

higher Lower Similar Lower

7 Planning Scheme Similar Similar Similar Similar Higher Lower Similar Lower Similar Similar Similar Lower

8 Meeting records Lower Similar Much

higherMuch higher Lower Lower Much

lower Similar Much lower Higher Similar Much

higher

9 Council trainingLowest

Higher Similar Much lower


lowerMuch higher

Much lower

Much lower

Much lower Higher Lower

10 Applicant education Higher Similar Much

lowerMuch lower Lower Lower Much

higher Lower Much lower


lower



Community survey

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

73% 72%

66% 66%

48% 47%

43%

37%

24% 23%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10


This chart shows what most respondents think the most important improvements are. Note that respondents were asked to chose their top five of the ten options.

The % reflects the proportion of the respondents who chose that option.

Consistency Communication Transparency Project support

‘How to’ information

Applicant support

Planning Scheme

Meeting records

Council staff training

Applicant education



Community survey


The ranking of the most important suggestions is set out in the table below, and illustrated in the chart on the previous page. The direct referencing of the top ranked improvements back through the preceding engagement activities is summarised in the table to the right.

Most important suggestions Rank

1 Consistency: Ensuring there is consistent advice and continuity in assessment teams and staff during the assessment of applications

Highest

2 Communication: Improving the way Council communicates with applicants and other relevant stakeholders to ensure communication is prompt and timely

3 Transparency: Improving the way Council’s decisions and policies are made transparent and available to applicants and the public

4 Project support: Providing support to projects that have multiple benefits to the Gympie region (eg, local employment opportunities, growing local businesses, tourism, etc). This might include navigating the planning approval process

5 ‘How to’ information: Providing ‘how to’ information online, at Council customer service areas, and during pre-application meetings that will help applicants to understand how the planning process works and have greater confidence in how Council manages the process

Medium

6 Applicant support: Providing support services to help applicants resolve issues during the application assessment process

7 Planning Scheme: Amending the planning scheme so that it is consistent with Council’s strategic direction and vision for the Gympie region

8 Meeting records: Updating how meetings with applicants are recorded to provide clarity regarding information requests, and greater certainty in the development application process

9 Council training: Providing education/training opportunities for non-planning and development areas of the Council about the planning scheme and the application assessment processes

Lowest10 Applicant education: Applicants are offered education to

improve the quality of their applications where needed

Most important suggestions for improvements

Importance from the community survey

Importance across the Focus Groups

Importance across the 1:1 case study interviews

Importance in the initial briefings / workshops

Consistency: Ensure there is consistent advice and continuity in assessment teams and staff during the assessment of applications

73% of respondents


Yes Yes

Communication: Improve the way Council communicates with applicants and other relevant stakeholders to ensure communication is prompt and timely

72% of respondents

78% of participants

Yes Yes

Transparency: Improve the way Council’s decisions and policies are made transparent and available to applicants and the public

65% of respondents

72% of participants

Yes Yes

Project support: Provide support to projects that have multiple benefits to the region (eg, local employment opportunities, growing local businesses, tourism, etc). This might include assistance to navigate the planning approval process

65% of respondents


Yes Yes



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