The Community Strategic Plan describes the community’s vision and aspirations for a period of ten years or more. The Community Strategic Plan addresses four key questions for the community:

• Where are we now?
• Where do we want to be in ten years’ time?
• How will we get there?
• How will we know when we have arrived?

It is important to note that the Community Strategic Plan, while prepared and endorsed by Council, is not a Council Plan. It is a plan for the City itself, to be implemented by all organisations, key-stakeholders, residents and businesses alike. Though Council plays a major role, there are many other players involved in delivering the outcomes required in this Plan. It falls upon Council to:

• Report on the progress of the plan;
• Ensure that the plan is integrated with other planning for the City;
• Ensure that those who implement the plan understand their role and responsibilities in delivering results.

CBCity 2028 was endorsed by Council in 2018 and it must be regularly reviewed, particularly reviewed in the year following a local government election. Council may endorse or update the existing Plan or develop a new Plan to ensure that the City has a Community Strategic Plan for at least the next ten years.

Issues and pressures that may affect the community and the needs and requirements of other stakeholders including local community organisations, government agencies and State and regional plans are important when preparing the Plan. The Plan should also take into account the level of funding and other resources that would be realistically available to achieve the required outcomes.

The plan is essential for good local decision making. It helps to identify priorities and partnerships needed with others such as government, community groups and business to achieve positive outcomes. This is outlined in Council’s four-year Delivery Program, one-year Operational Plans and other important long-term resourcing strategies for finance, assets and workforce.

There have been many significant achievements for the City consistent with the priorities and community aspirations detailed in CBity2028. They include:

• Livvi’s Place, the City’s first all-abilities playground;
• CBCIty Cares COVID-19 Care Package for community and business;
• Paddle Against Plastic events for the City’s rivers;
• Council’s electric car program;
• 38% of the City’s street lighting converted to LED;
• Illegal Dumping Programs;
• Waterworth Park and Lake Gillawarna wetland and native restorations
• Ramadan Nights Lakemba becomes significant regional event, 4Elements Hip Hop Festival;
• Eatglobalbuylocal campaign;
• STEM partnership formed with CSIRO;
• Artificial Intelligence improves Council waste services and fleet operations;
• Ewen Park’s new $3.8 million pedestrian and cycle bridge at Lang Road;
• $168 million Leisure and Aquatic Strategy approved for the City – Greenacre ‘Splash’ commenced;
• 180 park, playground and sporting facility upgrades;
• Riverwood library and Community Hub;
• New Bankstown campus of Western Sydney University commenced construction;
• NSW Government commits $1.3 Billion to build a new state-of-the-art hospital;
• Increased public art across the City;
• Successful advocacy made to the Minister for Planning to secure Canterbury-Bankstown as a ‘Priority Area’ for new and updated planning controls;
• Town Centre rejuvenation – Panania, Bankstown CBD, Canterbury, Narwee;
• CBKombi mobile engagement vehicle;
• CBTV - New South Wales’ first council-run online entertainment hub;
• Council is Australia’s Most Innovative Company - 2021 Australian Financial Review BOSS Awards –Government/Community Organisation category; and
• Nearly $1.3 billion invested in Canterbury-Bankstown by Council on a diverse range of services including over 900 infrastructure projects.

View the End of Term Report

Your answers will help us plan for our future by confirming/identifying the community’s aspirations and priorities for the City. The results will also help to inform Council’s new Delivery Program 2022-2025, subsequent Operational Plans and long-term resourcing strategies.