Community Strategic Plan

Our vision for the future

Our Council vision and values
Our Vision
North Sydney is a welcoming, connected and resourceful community which acknowledges its past, enjoys the present and plans for our future. We respect our beautiful harbourside locale, its unique villages and much valued bushland and open spaces. We lead the way in sustainability.
Our Mission
To be leading edge in serving the community of North Sydney by caring for its assets, improving its appearance and delivering services to people in a financially, socially and environmentally responsible manner.
Our Core Values
- Sustainability - equity, preservation, justice and precaution.
- Community service - efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness.
- Open government - transparency and accountability.
- Community participation - consultation and involvement.
- Ethical conduct - honesty and integrity.
- Justice - fairness and equity.
- Quality - innovation and excellence.
- Teamwork - cooperation and respect.
The five strategic directions of our CSP
Our Community Strategic Plan sets out Council's overarching and long-term vision, priorities and aspirations for North Sydney, including to:
- value the environment
- strengthen our community
- grow our economy
- deliver strong and transparent leadership
Our five strategic directions and desired outcomes for each are detailed in the sections below.
1. Our Living Environment
Climate change is recognised as a threat to the future of our community, requiring action by all levels of government.
Our community minimises waste, maximises use of renewable energy and increases tree canopy to mitigate the impact.
Our natural environment supports biodiversity, through our bushland reserves, wildlife corridors and innovative foreshore management. Recreational facilities including parks, sporting fields and playgrounds support an active lifestyle for residents and visitors.
Our desired outcomes for our living environment are:

Protected, enhanced and biodiverse natural environment (1.1)
- Rehabilitate native bushland areas and fauna habitats to enhance biodiversity
- Increase awareness of biodiversity conservation through education and community partnerships
- Implement strategies that encourage healthy local waterways
Environmentally sustainable community (1.2)
- Reduce strain on natural resources through sustainable energy, water and waste reduction practices
- Deliver the declaration to reduce the drivers of climate change and to prepare for the inevitable impacts to come
Clean and green places (1.3)
- Expand urban tree canopy incorporating sustainable native management
- Encourage community gardening and hard surface greening, including rooftop gardens
- Advocate for infrastructure that assists with greening initiatives, including powerline undergrounding
Well utilised open space and recreational facilities (1.4)
- Protect, enhance and expand public open space and foreshore access
- Provide infrastructure to encourage and support participation in healthy, physical activity and recreation for all
- Attract a variety of sporting and community events to North Sydney, including North Sydney Oval
- Advocate for new visionary and quality open and green spaces
- Advocate on behalf of the community at all levels of government against negative impacts on our environment arising from development and major infrastructure projects
2. Our Built Infrastructure
North Sydney’s public spaces and village centres promote their unique character and provide vibrant and safe places for the community to gather and connect.
Our built infrastructure and community assets follow sustainable design principles and meet the needs of our growing population.
Our community prioritises walking, cycling and public transport and people of all ages are comfortable riding in the area. Vehicle transport is supported by an effective and integrated transport and parking system.
Our desired outcomes for our built infrastructure are:

Infrastructure and assets meet diverse community needs (2.1)
- Expand and adapt our community’s infrastructure to meet future needs
- Promote resilience and plan for and respond to large scale emergencies
- Advocate for and increase community access to public and private infrastructure
Vibrant public domains and villages (2.2)
- Enhance public domains and village streetscapes
- Improve lighting and surveillance to make public spaces safer
Prioritise sustainable and active transport (2.3)
- Incentivise use of sustainable and innovative public transport
- Provide infrastructure to support sustainable, innovative and active transport
- Provide a connected walking and cycling network for people of all ages and abilities
Efficient traffic mobility and parking (2.4)
- Reduce traffic through improved active and public transport
- Integrate on-street and off-street parking options in residential and commercial areas
- Better integrate major transport infrastructure into the local built environment
3. Our Innovative City
Global investment and businesses are drawn to North Sydney because it is a centre of innovation, entrepreneurship and tourism.
North Sydney CBD and St Leonards are important part of the Eastern Economic Corridor. The character of our local centres are enhanced to maximise vitality and tourism are balanced with maintaining residential amenity.
Land use planning and contemporary planning controls ensure historic buildings and sites are preserved, and that North Sydney’s distinct identity and heritage fits with the surrounding built and natural environment.
Housing is accessible and affordable for all individuals and families.
Our desired outcomes for our innovative city are:

Our commercial centres are prosperous and vibrant (3.1)
- Support existing and attract new and diverse businesses
- Enhance the night time and weekend economy
- Deliver sustainable tourism activity
- Strengthen the North Sydney CBD’s competitiveness and identity
Distinctive sense of place and design excellence (3.2)
- Leading strategic land use planning
- Improve urban design, amenity, accessibility, liveability and public domain
- Advocate for and provide affordable housing
- Manage and promote compliance
North Sydney is smart and innovative (3.3)
- Deliver smart city strategies
- Deliver and support smart, innovative services to the community
4. Our Social Vitality
Our community enjoys a healthy and active lifestyle, improved accessibility, wellbeing and safety, safety, and a life free from violence and crime.
North Sydney is known for its vibrancy and cultural diversity, with markets, festivals, art and culture, events that connect the community.
Residents have access to the best health care and support services.
Education opportunities are many and varied. Service providers, including Stanton Library deliver facilities that meet the community’s changing cultural and educational needs.
Local heritage and our First Nations history and culture is preserved, respected and celebrated.
Our desired outcomes for our social vitality are:

North Sydney is connected, inclusive, healthy and safe (4.1)
- Increase, celebrate and foster community connectedness, health, inclusivity and safety through services and programs
- Reduce housing stress and homelessness particularly for vulnerable people and communities at risk, including sexual, domestic and family violence
- Utilise and develop community skills and expertise through volunteering
- Provide support and funding to not-for-profit community groups and charities
A centre for creativity and learning (4.2)
- Foster, support and increase creative arts
- Provide and support a diverse range of events and street life
- Provide diverse education and learning choices that meet growing needs
North Sydney’s history is preserved and recognised (4.3)
- Interpret and promote North Sydney’s history and heritage
- Protect and maintain historical sites, items and records
- Promote awareness of North Sydney’s First Nation’s heritage
5. Our Civic Leadership
Our community has confidence in North Sydney’s strategic direction and trusts Council, along with partner organisations, to lead with integrity and demonstrate good governance.
Council provides what the community needs now and plans for the needs of future generations.
The community is actively engaged in the future direction of North Sydney in accordance with our long-standing commitment to “open government”.
Council demonstrates transparency and leadership in its decision making, is accountable to the community, and respectful in its interactions.
Council is the employer of first choice, attracting and retaining highly motivated and skilled employees, committed to providing the community with quality service.
Our desired outcomes for our civic leadership are:

Lead North Sydney’s strategic direction (5.1)
- Create effective working relationships between local, state and federal governments
- Plan to deliver the aspirations of our community
- Lead public debate on the future of local government
- Manage financial resources effectively and responsibly, including explore new revenue streams
Strong civic leadership and customer focussed services (5.2)
- Provide accountable, transparent, accessible and participatory decision making
- Councillors meet their obligations and excel in their roles as community leaders
- Implement best practice governance and risk management
- Provide best practice customer service
Community is engaged in what Council does (5.3)
- Promote Council’s activities and achievements through use of enhanced communication methods
- Provide best practice community engagement, including the Precinct System
Council services are efficient and easy to access (5.4)
- Enhance information management and communications technology assets and outcomes
- Preserve and provide best practice access to Council records
- Implement best practice procurement and contract management
- Council is an employer of first choice; attracting, developing, supporting and retaining highly skilled staff
Other key plans

Our Community Strategic Plan sets out our overarching vision for North Sydney and guides our planning and decision making for the next ten years.
The Resourcing Strategy focuses on long term financial planning, long term asset management planning and medium-term workforce management planning. It is the critical link between the Community Strategic Plan and the Delivery Program, detailing the resources required to implement strategies established by the Community Strategic Plan.
The Delivery Program outlines the actions Council will undertake during its electoral term to contribute to the long-term strategies and desired outcomes of the Community Strategic Plan. The Delivery Program sets out the services, outlines projects Council plans to undertake, and the budget and expenditure.
The Operational Plan is Council’s action plan for achieving the community priorities outlined in the Community Strategic Plan and the Delivery Program. An Operational Plan, inclusive of a detailed budget, is prepared each year and adopted, detailing the projects and services to be undertaken.