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Planning

Short courses

A local strategic planning statement (LSPS) is one of the main opportunities for councils to set the 20-year vision for land use in local areas, the special character and values that are to be preserved, and how change will be managed into the future.

In response to requests for additional support on LSPSs, courses on strategic planning and LSPSs were run by the department across NSW during the first half of 2019.

The course was developed by the department in partnership with the University of Technology, Sydney (Institute for Public Policy and Governance, and the Centre for Local Government). Three types of courses were developed, tailored for either NSW councillors, council staff or planning practitioners.

In total 12 council staff sessions, 11 councillor sessions and 3 practitioner sessions were run across the state in both Sydney and regional NSW locations.

Online modules

To accommodate those that were unable to attend a course in person the courses are also available as a series of online modules.

What will I learn?

The online modules are a condensed version of the courses and are designed to help improve your strategic planning skills and understanding of the new statutory requirements for an LSPS.

Watch the videos

Further details about the online modules: description and audiences

To assist with the navigation of the modules, a short description and intended audience for each module is detailed below:

ModuleModule descriptionAudience
1. LSPS Introduction
  • A general discussion on LSPS
  • What the LSPS means for local government – a delivery vehicle for Community Strategic Plans (CSP), strategic justification for decision making
  • Understanding the LSPS as integrative/coordinative policy
  • Benefits of the LSPS for Councils
Councillors, Council Staff, Practitioners
2. Context of the LSPS
  • Redesign of principles underpinning the planning system, to shift to strategic planning
  • Shifting sites of influence in the planning system – front end strategic planning
Councillors, Council Staff, Practitioners
3. Recent legislative changes
  • Legislative changes that enact the shift in sites of influence
Councillors, Council Staff, Practitioners
4. Strategic land use policy
  • Understanding the key ingredients of strategic policy
  • Understanding the CSP/Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) framework as local government strategic policy framework
  • Understanding the LSPS as a vehicle to implement strategic policy
  • Examples of sector policies that need to align with strategic policy framework
Council Staff, Practitioners
5. Preparing the LSPS
  • Legislative requirements and considerations
  • Broad overview of suggested LSPS process (including engagement)
  • Support available for Councils to assist with preparation
Councillors, Council Staff, Practitioners
6. Strategic visions
  • Ingredients of a truly strategic vision, with examples
  • Drivers of change
Councillors, Council Staff, Practitioners
7. Key tasks to prepare an LSPS
  • Mapping policies that need pulling together into the LSPS as a strategic policy framework
  • Technical studies – how to think about what studies are needed, where to get the information, working with neighbouring Councils, and key challenges
  • Policy mapping exercise
Council Staff, Practitioners
8. Implementing the LSPS
  • Monitoring and reporting indicators and measures
  • Links to IP&R framework – budgeting, annual report, end of term report
  • Ongoing project management
  • How the LSPS will be used in ongoing decision making
Councillors, Council Staff, Practitioners

More information