Making a LTCCP Submission
If you are on an RSO Board or Club Committee you need to know what Council is planning for sport and recreation in your community.
Your organisation is encouraged to get more involved in Council planning by submitting to your Council’s upcoming Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP).
Why?
- Because Councils are major providers of sports and recreation facilities – with out them much of what happens in our sector wouldn’t be possible;
- Draft LTCCPs are the opportunity to make a submission on what the council plans to do for your community over the next 10 years;
- Because Councils are not immune from the current economic climate. They have to make tough choices about the mix of services they provide. For some, this may mean limiting or even reducing funding for some sports and recreation services; and
- It’s a chance to thank your fellow ratepayers – through the local Council – for funding sports and recreation services in your community.
What are LTCCPs?
LTCCPs are key planning tools for councils, setting out priorities and work programmes for the following 10-year period. They outline everything a council plans to do, how it fits together and what it costs. The LTCCP process is designed to minimise the risk of “surprises” (unanticipated expenditure) for local government.
These plans are reviewed every three years. It is an important opportunity for sport and recreation organisations to make a submission on what your council plans to do for your community over the next 10 years.
Councils are required to widely distribute a summary of their draft LTCCPs. Full drafts are often available on their websites or can be obtained from council offices. In order to get a better understanding of the key issues in your council’s draft LTCCP you should also consider talking with Council officers and/or politicians before you prepare your submission.
Community Consultation
Councils are required to carry out consultation prior to the adoption of the LTCCP and provides them with important feedback on their future direction and priorities.
During the consultation period members of the public have the opportunity to make submissions and attend information sessions and hearings.
After considering submissions, final LTCCPs are adopted by the full councils at the start of the financial year (1 July). LTCCPs are then the mechanisms by which Councils sets rates.
Details on how and when you can make submissions are published on council websites or are available from their offices.
If you don’t make your opinions known Councils will presume you support their plans for your sport.
About Submissions
The LTCCP consultation process is the main opportunity for local people to have their say in local decision-making. Once adopted, LTCCPs can only be changed after appropriate and further consultation with the community.
Your organisation is therefore encouraged to make a submission on the key issues facing it in respect to council's activities and services. If you don’t make your views known you are likely to miss out.
Every person who lodges a written submission on time is entitled to a written acknowledgement and an opportunity to attend a hearing and speak to his or her submission.
Making Effective Submissions
- Ensure your submission is about an issue Council is responsible for
- State what your topic is and where it fits into the LTCCP
- If your submission relates directly to a particular point in the Draft LTCCP state the page and quote the comment
- Provide evidence of need that is quantified and verifiable
- Outline the benefits to your city or district (e.g. participation and hosting events)
- Show that you have given consideration to alternative options (e.g. partnering, multi-use)
- Give evidence of your organisation’s capability and financial sustainability
- Make sure you emphasise how your idea will benefit the wider community
- Say if you are in support of, or in opposition to a particular issue and why. It is important to support the good things that Council does, or is planning to do, so that they keep on with it.
- Tell Council what decision you want them to make
- Use headings and/or bullet points – it makes your point(s) clearer
- Be clear about how you think the service should be paid for - do you want rates or fees to go up, or could funding be diverted from other council activities? Consider how other people may feel about these projects losing funding. Remember the process is about choices
- If you have a good idea about how your project can be funded through a different funding agency or achieved without funding, state it
- Indicate if you want to speak at a LTCCP submission hearing – you will have much greater impact if you do
- You may wish to let Council know if you would like your submission to be considered at the same time as others who you know to be making similar points
- While numbers count in politics, it’s persuasion that influences decisions. Is your submission just your own opinion or is it something that is valued by your whole club, or community? Workshop your ideas with others, outline why they’re important, be positive and succinct
- Well prepared and widely supported public submissions do make a difference
Download this content in Word format,
Making a LTCCP submission (Word, 44 KB).
Updated | 08 Apr 2009.
Skip page tools.
