11
Council’s opportunities and role
The improvement of health and wellbeing outcomes in the
area is the responsibility of a range of agencies - including
all levels of government, non-government organisations and
interest groups, and the community itself. Council can play a
range of valuable roles – the prioritisation for allocating and
appropriately resourcing these roles is determined through
assessment of the issues and risks.
Within the Public Health and CommunityWellbeing Plan,
Council’s activities take a variety of forms –
• As a service provider, in which Council may provide
programs, services, physical and social infrastructure,
development activities, and facilities
• As a regulator, providing regulatory services and
administering legislation on an authorised basis, including
urban planning and environmental health
• As a funding provider, by funding programs and activities
provided by other community or health service agencies
and community groups
• As a funding channel, to win Commonwealth or
State funds to target to local priorities and projects via
funding submissions
• As an information source providing the community and
other service providers with information relating to the
area, and changes that may impact on the population
• As a partner in working with other service and
infrastructure providers, agencies, community groups and
individuals (Formal agreements with Partner Authorities
for joint research activities or delivery of services can also
be established under the SA Public Health Act 2011)
• As a promoter, acknowledging and highlighting the many
and varied positive aspects of our population and social
environment, and in encouraging the community and
others to build on those strengths
• As an influencer, as a level of government with
the opportunity to have considerable ‘buy-in’ to the
development of State or regional programs
• As an advocate on behalf of community for the
provision, maintenance and development of services and
infrastructure to meet identified priorities
• As a significant employer within the region, combined with
a large volunteer program
• As a purchaser, using Council’s significant procurement
capacity to pro-actively support local and sustainable
employment and business development opportunities