FAQs

A Community Strategic Plan is a 10-year plan that identifies the community’s vision for the future. It outlines the aspirations of the community, and outlines the vision, goals, objectives and strategies to achieve our community’s desired future. Everyone in the community – from government, businesses, schools, community groups, to individuals – has a part to play in making this plan work. It’s a plan for our whole community.

The Community Strategic Plan sets the big-picture direction for Wollongong. The Community Strategic Plan directly informs other key plans, making sure our work responds to community needs. These include:
 

• Draft Delivery Program 2025-2029 and Operational Plan 2025-2026 
  1. Attachment 1 - Draft Budget 2025-2026 
  2. Attachment 2 - Draft Infrastructure Delivery Program 2025-2026 - 2028-2029 
  3. Attachment 3 - Draft Revenue Policy, Rates, Annual Charges, and Fees 2025-2026 
• Draft Resourcing Strategy 2025-2035

Together, these shape Wollongong’s future. You can read these at our.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/ourfuture

Every four years, we review the Community Strategic Plan to make sure it still reflects the community’s evolving needs and aspirations. Since the last plan was adopted, a lot has changed, and we need to check if the community’s priorities remain the same or if updates are needed.

The draft Our Wollongong Our Future 2035 includes a refreshed vision and four goals based on community input:

Vision:

On Dharawal Country, from the mountains to the sea, we value and respect each other, our places, past, and future. We will be a sustainable, connected, vibrant, and innovative city, with a diverse economy.

Four community goals:

•    Sustainable: We are a sustainable and climate-resilient city.

•    Connected: We have well-planned, connected, and liveable places.

•    Vibrant: We foster a diverse economy and value innovation, culture, and creativity.

•    Inclusive: We have a healthy, respectful, and inclusive community. 

The Draft Resourcing Strategy 2025-2035 outlines how Council will manage and allocate its resources (finances, assets, workforce and technological) to implement the Delivery Program, delivered through Council’s Services. The draft Resourcing Strategy includes the following elements: 

• Draft Long Term Financial Plan 2025-2035 
• Draft Asset Management Strategy 2025-2035 
• Draft Workforce Management Plan 2025-2029 
• Draft Digital Strategy 2025-2029

• Southern Suburbs Community Centre and Library
• Cleveland Rd Upgrade
• West Dapto Rd; Yard St to Shone Ave (Stage 1a, Stages 2-4)
• Helensburgh Community Centre and Library
• Darkes Town Centre Sporting and Community Hub - Stages 1 & 2
• North Wollongong Beach, Seawall Renewal Stage 2
• Helensburgh Pool Renewal
• Port Kembla Community Centre Stage 2
• Grand Pacific Walk - Austinmer
• Murray Rd; Duff Pde to Cawley St Shared Path
• The Avenue Debris Control Structure Figtree
• Animal Care and Impounding Strategy development
• Aquatics and Indoor Sport Strategy development
• A range of community events including Comic Gong and Culture Mix
• Important master planning projects including Bellambi Foreshore Precinct Plan, MacCabe Park and Bulli Showground.

• Council collects rates to fund its services, maintain local roads, facilities, and public open spaces, including parks and gardens. 
• While rates income remains the predominant source of income for Council, it is supplemented by user fees for services, statutory charges, grants and contributions and income from commercial endeavours. Council’s Draft Revenue Policy, Rates, Annual Charges and Fees 2025-2026 outlines those areas that Council receives income in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 1993. 
• The total amount of rates that can be collected by Council is set by Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).  
•  A general re-valuation of land (by the Valuer General of New South Wales) usually occurs every three years. 

For the financial year 2025-2026, Council is proposing that our rates income is indexed by 4.7% as set by IPART. This index increases the total amount of rates to be collected. Council rates for 2025-2026 will be calculated using new land valuations as of 1 July 2024 determined by the NSW Valuer General. The new land value for each property will create a change in rates depending on the relationship between the individual parcel and the average increase in all land valuations. If a property’s valuation change is below average, it will not increase as much or may decrease. 

Domestic Waste charges for a medium size bin (120-140 litre) will increase by 4.6% to $521.00 (2024-2025 - $498.05).

Stormwater Management charge is proposed to remain unchanged at $25 per property (Residential non strata).   

Wollongong City Council has a Debt Recovery and Hardship Assistance Policy which provides a range of support actions for those in financial distress. To find out more, please contact us. 

We have two phases of engagement. We are now in Phase 2 – Checking In.

Phase 1 - Listening to our community (Completed: 18 October – 18 November 2024)
 We asked the community what they want Wollongong to look and feel like in 10 years. Engagement activities included workshops, surveys, pop-ups, and interactive events. Feedback was compiled into an Engagement Summary, which helped us draft the updated Community Strategic Plan.

Phase 2 - Checking in (9 April – 7 May 2025) 
 We are asking the community to review the draft Community Strategic Plan and Delivery Program and Operational Plan to check if it aligns with our community’s future priorities. Your feedback by 7 May 2025 will help finalise the plan before it goes to Council for adoption in June 2025.

Your feedback on the suite of draft Plans is an important part of the review process. You can participate by viewing the draft documents online, or at your local library, and:

• Completing the online feedback form
• Completing a printed survey available at your local library, along with reply-paid envelopes.
• Emailing ourfuture@wollongong.nsw.gov.au 
• Calling us on 4227 7111 to provide feedback over the phone.
• Talking to Council staff at one of our pop-ups, listed over the page:

If you are d/Deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech or language difficulty, you can contact us through the National Relay Service on 133 677. If you need an interpreter, please use the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450. You’ll need to provide our phone number when using these services, 02 4227 7111.

All feedback received during this phase, that is gathered through surveys, face-to-face discussions, phone calls, and written submissions, will be carefully reviewed and considered as we finalise the Community Strategic Plan, Draft Delivery Program and Draft Operational Plan. These plans will be presented to Council for adoption in June 2025, and the Engagement Report will be made available to the community. Feedback will be accepted from 9 April to 7 May 2025. 

Your feedback is one of several factors that shape Council’s decisions, as shown in this graphic:

To take the survey you just need to provide an email address and a screen name. You don't need to be registered with our engagement website. However, if you receive the message: ! Email address in use when you put in your email address, this means our engagement website has recognised your email, as you have previously used it to register with us. The website is prompting you to sign into your account first. If you are registered with us but prefer not to sign in or have forgotten your password, you can take the survey by providing an alternative email address.

The Engagement Team will update the community on what was heard during the engagement period in our 'Closing the loop' update. Our 'closing the loop' updates include how many voices we heard from, key themes in the feedback collected, and what our next steps are.

Everyone who provided feedback will receive the ‘closing the loop’ update. The broader community will be notified via Our Wollongong.