Introduction 

The Community Strategic Plan outlines the community’s aspirations and long-term vision for Sutherland Shire. It is based on collaboration between all levels of government, local agencies, residents and visitors of the Shire. It is a road map for the long-term which will be used to guide shorter-term planning and actions.

This plan is a community plan. It is prepared by Council in collaboration with, and on behalf of residents, other levels of government and agencies. Responsibility for meeting the long-term community vision and desired outcomes rests with everyone.

When the plan makes reference to ‘we’, it refers to the collective Sutherland Shire community including Council, government agencies and other organisations, as well as its residents.

Both our individual and organisational decisions and actions (or inaction) have a result or impact on our community life. They have implications not only for what we are working towards achieving but also what we are giving up to achieve something else. 

Our Vision

A connected and safe community that respects people and nature, enjoying active lives in a strong local economy. 

Our Goals

We want to:

1. Work together in Sutherland Shire as a community informed and engaged in its future
2. Enhance and protect the beautiful and healthy natural environment of Sutherland Shire
3. Sustain Sutherland Shire as a caring and supportive community
4. Evolve Sutherland Shire’s culturally rich and vibrant community
5. Progress the Sutherland Shire as a prosperous community for all
6. Sustain Sutherland Shire as a liveable place where we can all continue to enjoy a high quality of life. 

Message from the Mayor

The Sutherland Shire is a great place to live. More than 90 percent of the residents we recently surveyed rated our quality of life as good or excellent. We highly value the natural environment that envelops us, the connected and caring nature of our community and the culture of the area that has evolved over 50,000 years. We are immensely proud of who we are and where we live.

The community strategic planning process provides an opportunity for us all to reflect on where we are and where we want to be in 10 years. Achieving the objectives of the Plan is everyone’s responsibility. Each level of government has a key role to play. We must also build and sustain productive partnerships with local businesses, community organisations and many others. And it is you, our community, who can provide us with inspiration as we plan for and deliver the outcomes described in this plan.

Inevitably change and challenges will confront us, but together we have the skills and knowledge to capitalise on and create new opportunities that will continue to enrich our lives.

As Mayor of the Sutherland Shire I am proud of Council’s role in facilitating the development of this Plan on behalf of our community. At Council we look forward to playing our part in achieving our community’s vision for the future.

What We Value

Consultation with our community identified what’s most important to us and what we value the most about Sutherland Shire.

We value:

• our access to our beautiful beaches, parks and natural reserves
• our sense of community – we are a place of locals
• our location - it’s near to the city without being too close
• our lifestyle and quality of life
• our peace and quiet
• our safety.

Our Guiding Principles

In developing Our Community Plan we have established a set of principles to guide its development and to guide the ongoing decision-making in planning for the Sutherland Shire community’s future. These principles will also help us assess the effectiveness of Our Community Plan.

PRINCIPLE 1: We recognise and respect Sutherland Shire is on Aboriginal Land.

PRINCIPLE 2: We recognise the importance of social justice principles in Sutherland Shire.

PRINCIPLE 3: We understand the need for ecologically sustainable development.

PRINCIPLE 4: We want a resilient Sutherland Shire.

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The Integrated Planning And Reporting Framework 

Together, we have developed an ambitious long-term vision that deserves commitment. While Council has a custodial role in initiating, preparing and maintaining Our Community Plan, Council is not wholly responsible for its implementation.

It is a plan which sets the direction for the whole of the Shire. All of our community, including government agencies, business, the not-for-profit sector and our residents have a role in its success.

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How We Created This Plan

Sutherland Shire Council plays a significant role in community planning and advocacy and has developed this plan in partnership with the community.

The Plan is an update of Our Shire, Our Future, Our Guide for Shaping the Shire to 2030, first adopted by council in 1999 and subsequently reviewed in 2007 and 2011. It is based on the aspirations, knowledge and ideals that were expressed by those who participated in an engagement process to review the existing Strategic Plan.

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Our demographics tell us 

Our demographics tell us about where we are now and where we will be in 10 years, including:

• current population and growth
• household types and dwellings
• age of population
• affluence and unemployment

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Our Community Plan 

To achieve our vision for the future, our community is committed to:

• working together as a Sutherland Shire community informed and engaged in its future
• enhancing and protecting the beautiful and healthy natural environment of Sutherland Shire
• sustaining Sutherland Shire as a caring and supportive community
• evolving Sutherland Shire’s culturally rich and vibrant community
• progressing Sutherland Shire as a prosperous community for all
• sustaining Sutherland Shire as a liveable place where we can all continue to enjoy a high quality of life.

Outcome 1: A Community Informed And Engaged In Its Future

Our community is growing, more families are living in apartments, we are living longer in our homes. Sutherland Shire adapts to change with residents engaged in the process, understanding and being kept informed about what comes next, confident their views will be heard about how our community is evolving and responding to community needs.

We want to proceed towards the future knowingly, in recognition of our heritage, our legacy and what our community needs will be in the future with each resident feeling empowered to state their views on Sutherland Shire’s future.

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Outcome 2: A Beautiful, Protected And Healthy Natural Environment

Swimming at the pristine beaches of Bundeena and Cronulla, immersing yourself in nature in our National Parks, whale-watching from Cape Solander, boating in the waters of Port Hacking or Oyster Bay. Many come to play in the Sutherland Shire – but for us, it is home.

We want to protect and sustain our beautiful natural environment, including the streets and public places we live and play in. Residents, community groups, schools, Council, and developers all have a role in protecting our environment, and reducing our resource consumption, for the benefit of us all and our future generations.

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Outcome 3: A Caring And Supportive Community

As you cross Tom Uglys Bridge or spot the first trees of the Royal National Park, you feel it. Home. A place where you belong. A place that feels safe. A place where we help each other to live our best possible lives. A place that cares.

We want to ensure we can belong to Sutherland Shire and feel a part of a distinct local community life that is supportive of us all. A sense of belonging and connectedness that helps us feel better, cope better with challenges, be more resilient, and trust that we are important to each other, no matter who we are.

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Outcome 4: A Culturally Rich And Vibrant Community  

Whether it hits you when you are visiting an exhibition at Hazelhurst, dining at Cronulla, enjoying an outdoor concert at Illawong, exploring rock art at Bundeena or barracking at a Sharks home game, you know that this is your community. You couldn’t be anywhere else but in Sutherland Shire.

We want to celebrate who we are through cultural experiences, events and facilities, by retaining local special places and building a cohesive local identity. We want to nurture creativity, celebrate our shared heritage and embrace diversity. This helps us create a sense of community and identify and value what is important to all of our lives.

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Outcome 5: A Prosperous Community For All

Our vibrant local centres are alive with thriving local businesses. Our schools and colleges ring with the sounds of people engaged in learning. Our local prosperity provides the foundation for how we live and enjoy life in Sutherland Shire.

We want Sutherland Shire to be a community in which each and every one of us can be educated well, where people can work closer to home, and where our local businesses prosper and provide more employment.

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Outcome 6: A Liveable Place With A High Quality Of Life

We are an area with access to places and programs for a good life. A place we can bench press in the parks, where we walk in wild places, where we can ride our bikes. A place where our commute is short, shopping is easy and new development is balanced with community places and spaces.

We want a liveable Sutherland Shire, where growth is balanced with social outcomes, where we can access a range of transport options, where our children and workforce can afford a home, and where we can maintain and improve our quality of life.

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What Could You Do To Help Achieve Our Goals?  

Download our Community Strategic Plan

Our Community Strategic Plan outlines the community’s aspirations and long-term vision for the Sutherland Shire and has been prepared by Council in collaboration with, and on behalf of residents, businesses, all levels of government and local agencies, to help build a vibrant and sustainable future for the local community.

Download - Community Strategic Plan - pdf

Download - Autumn 2018 (Accessible word)