Community consultation and the 'Hard to Reach': City of Moreland case study report (original) (raw)

Community consultation, local government and the hard to reach

2004

This paper explores how local government can involve a broader range of people in service planning, without intruding on privacy or making onerous demands on residents’ time. Local councils are keen to make their decision-making processes open and representative. They are also expected to build community cohesion and involve all sections of the community in municipal activities (service planning in particular). But only a small number of residents participate. Some groups are active, others are indifferent at best and prefer not to be contacted or sent material. People may be time-poor or difficult to contact. They may be uninterested in local planning and local politics. However, they may also expect to be informed about local development, services and cultural events; they may wish to put a view. But how to contact them without harassing them? These issues are explored in a new collaborative research project, between Swinburne University and six Victorian local government authorit...