Wodonga Council is introducing community forums from next month as a way to engage and hear from the community.
The community forums will be held on the first Monday of the month, five to six times a year with one to coincide with the draft budget and adjusted council plan exhibition period.
The forums will provide the community with an opportunity to present to council on issues of importance to them and ask questions of councillors.
It will also provide the council the opportunity to present to the community on key issues, projects or events in the city.
The agenda will allow for several presenters – who submit their request to present ahead of the forum - and a question time.
In the instance where there are no agenda items put forward, the forum will not go ahead.
Wodonga Deputy Mayor Cr Kat Bennett said the forums were a new way for the council to have a conversation with the community.
“For two years we’ve been running the Community Conversations online panel for our community members to keep up-to-date with ways they can have their say on what’s happening in our city,” Cr Bennett said.
“These forums are a way to have those conversations in person and provide an important opportunity for the community to talk and present to the council on anything they want to raise with the council or might want the council to consider.
“This could be matters already before the council or it could be something new they want the council to consider.
“The Community Satisfaction Survey results tell us the community wants us to continue to improve on the way we consult and engage our people and this is just one of the ways in which we are trying to achieve that.”
The first forum will be held on Monday, September 2 at 6pm at The Cube Wodonga with a second forum this year to be held on November 4.
To speak at a community forum, an application must be submitted via the council’s website by the Wednesday before.
The guidelines for the community forums and more information is on the council’s website at wodonga.vic.gov.au/Have-Your-Say