The Operational Plan is Council’s commitment to the community outlining the planned activities for the year ahead. Additionally, the Operational Plan includes the budget and schedule of Fees and Charges for the same period.

Under the Integrated Planning and Reporting legislation, all NSW councils are required to undertake long term planning for the council area, based on community engagement. This Framework (as shown below) includes a cascading framework of plans that translate high level community priorities into specific activities for Council to undertake. This ensures that the activities Council is undertaking is in line with the community’s vision for the future.

In the Community Strategic Plan, the community’s vision for the future and the intended outcomes are detailed. Strategies for achieving those goals outcomes are established. In the four year Delivery Program, Council answers the Community Strategic Plan by outlining the areas of focus for the coming four year term. In the Operational Plan, these higher level plans are translated into the specific activities Council plans to undertake during the year, and the budget associated with them.

The projects and programs in the Operational Plan are developed in response to the community priorities in the Community Strategic Plan (CSP) and current satisfaction data available for services. Each project in the Operational Plan aligns to an Outcome and high level Strategic Goal in the CSP, showing how the activities are addressing the community’s established priorities for the future.