It is described as a road map for the future of Sutherland Shire, looking at “where we are now and where we are going” for the next ten years.
The draft Sutherland Shire Community Strategic Plan, which is now on public exhibition, identifies the community’s main priorities and aspirations for the future and plans strategies for achieving these goals.
The plan was developed through research and consultation including a community survey involving more than 800 participants.
Sutherland Shire mayor Carmelo Pesce said the plan was “an opportunity for us to reflect on where we are and where we want to be in 20 years.”
The plan shows where the shire is now and where it will be in ten years time.
In 2017, 229,017 people called Sutherland Shire home.
By 2026 the shire population will have grown by more than 21,000 to 250,269.
The shire will grow but not as fast as other parts of Sydney. Since 2011, the shire population has grown by three percent compared with the Greater Sydney area which has grown by 8.5 per cent.
The number of dwellings is forecast to grow from the 83,709 in 2011 to 96,009 in 2026.
Currently, 38 per cent of shire households are couple families with two children, and 10 cer cent of households are single parent families.
Currently there is an average of 2.69 people living in each home. This will drop to 2.66 by 2026 because the shire population is ageing.
The shire is relatively affluent with 27 per cent of households earning over $2500 per week.
The shire has much lower unemployment than Greater Sydney (3.5 per cent compared to 5.7 per cent).
By 2026 there will be a 45 per cent increase in those who are old enough to retire. But there will be a seven per cent increase in the number of people of working age in Sutherland Shire.
People love living in the shire. The shire has the lowest rate of departures of any council area in Sydney.
Only 4.3 per cent of shire residents moved out of the area in 2013-14 - half the average departure rate across Greater Sydney.
Overall, residents rate their quality of life in Sutherland Shire as good or very good and more than half rated their quality of life as excellent.
Residents also indicate that they strongly value access to the natural environment including beaches, parks and nature reserves.
The draft community plan sets out a number of goals and outcomes to be achieved in the areas of community engagement, protecting the environment, having a caring and supportive community, a culturally rich and vibrant community, a prosperous community for all, and having a liveable place with a high quality of life.
And it lists a number of personal goals that community members could aim for to help their community.
The draft plan has been approved by the council and will be on public exhibition until Thursday, April 20.
It can be viewed at the council’s Administration Building, Sutherland, at any library branch within the Sutherland Shire and online at the 'Join the Conversation'
Feedback on the draft plan can be submitted via the 'Join the Conversation' or mailed to Strategy and Performance Unit, Sutherland Shire Council, Locked Bag 17, Sutherland 1499.
All submissions must be received by close of business Friday, April 21, 2017.
For more information contact the Strategy and Performance Unit on 9710 0524.