Strategy based on consultation, says director

Gosford Council director of community services and organization development Mr Terry Thirlwell said the Vision 2025 project, which formed the base of the Civic Infrastructure Strategy, had involved "extensive consultation with the community".

Mr Thirlwell said his directorate was involved in the Vision process.

"The project involved a steering group made up of diverse sections of the community," Mr Thirlwell said.

"The process took 12 months.

"That group sat down and workshopped the issues in their local government area.

"That info would go back to the community, and the groups in the community, where participants would receive feedback, which would come back to the group."

Mr Thirlwell said the community had always been invited to provide feedback.

Director of corporate services Mr Nic Pasternatsky said that at the end of the day, what came back to council was "what the community was saying that they want the area to be like in 25 years time".

"It is an opportunity to put the local government area on the map," Mr Pasternatsky said.

"At the end of the day, the community got what they want."

Cr Peter Hale said the 54 projects listed in the Civic Infrastructure Strategy had been rated under a point system by council officers, based on how projects were seen in Vision 2025.

Lyle Stone, 19 March 2007