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Sustainability and Environmental Advisory Panel

SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY PANEL (SEAP)

The Waratah-Wynyard Sustainability and Environmental Advisory Panel (SEAP) is a collaborative partnership between Council and the community to inform and advise Council on environmental matters. 

The purpose of the Sustainability and Environmental Advisory Panel (SEAP) is to inform and advise Council on environmental and sustainability related issues and Council’s role in sharing and enhancing the natural environment of Waratah-Wynyard. The SEAP particularly advises on the implementation, monitoring and review of the Integrated Council Environmental Plan (iCEP) 2020-2030.

Objectives of the SEAP are to:

  1. Represent a range of sectors and opinions relating to or impacting the natural environment, including community, agency, industry etc;
  2. Provide input and advice to Council on issues of environmental sustainability;
  3. Provide input to Council on behalf of the community and community organisations;
  4. Actively support Council’s consultation with and advocacy to the broader community;
  5. Provide specific and targeted feedback on relevant policies, strategies and key environmental initiatives;
  6. Establish working groups on an as required basis;
  7. Monitor and review environmental and sustainability issues in Waratah-Wynyard;
  8. Advocate (within the SEAP’s structure) to Council for the benefit of the Waratah-Wynyard environment; and
  9. Assist Council in determination of priority activities to be undertaken, annual objectives and action plans.

The objectives of the SEAP will be achieved through the implementation of the Action Plan.

A draft action plan has been prepared and is included here. SEAP members will have an opportunity to provide input and recommend changes to the action plan at the first meeting.

Note the SEAP will act in an advisory capacity only to assist Council in their decision making.

The SEAP was formally established in September 2022 with the initial term officially commencing January 2023. 

The SEAP have a minimum of eight members, comprising of councillor representatives, community members and council staff.

Community representatives must live, work or have an active interest in the municipal area. The community representatives shall include at least one young person with an interest in developing knowledge and networks within the environmental sector and at least one person with links to the indigenous community.

Members will be in term for a period of typically two years.

Meeting agendas are included here.

Confirmed minutes of meetings are included here.

 

The SEAP is anticipated to be formally established in September 2022 with an initial meet and greet to be held during September/October. The first formal meeting will be held early in 2023, to allow for elected members to be appointed to the Panel after the local government elections.

We are currently seeking registrations of interest from community representatives with wide ranging expertise and interests in environmental management, natural resource management, community adaption and resilience, sustainability, asset/finance management or risk/insurance.

Interested community members are encouraged to read the Terms of Reference before completing a nomination form. Only applications that meet the specified requirements (including receipt by the due date) shall be considered during the selection process. Completed application forms must be returned to Council by 4:00pm Sunday 14 August 2022.

A nomination during the registration of interest process does not guarantee membership on the SEAP. Appointment of community representatives shall be to individual persons and not to representatives of particular interest groups or organisations.

If there are insufficient community registration of interests, the Council may engage members of the community directly to ensure cross-representation and minimum number of members are achieved.

Every effort shall be made to ensure a representative cross section of community members with interest and knowledge covering the five (5) themes contained within iCEP are appointed to the panel, as appropriate.

Community representatives shall be selected on the basis of their skills, knowledge and experience in one or more of the following:

  1. Resource recovery and management (including waste and/or water);
  2. Biodiversity conservation;
  3. Climate change mitigation and adaption;
  4. Sustainable development;
  5. Community adaption and resilience;
  6. Environmental education and engagement;
  7. Amenity horticultural/landscaping management (urban and/or bush); or
  8. Asset management, finance management or risk/insurance.

Community representatives should also have skills, knowledge or experience in one or more of the following areas:

  1. Relevant federal and state government legislation, goals, policies and objectives;
  2. Links to relevant networks, community groups and the wider community; and/or
  3. Track record of achieving positive outcomes through collaborative projects.