Precinct Residents' Associations
Helping your local community
What are Precinct Residents' Assocations?
What is council's role? | What can your local PRA do?
Contacting a PRA | What if there isn't a PRA in my area?
What are Precinct Residents' Associations?
They are independent, local consultative groups made up of residents and non-resident ratepayers from a defined area. Precincts work to resolve local issues and improve their community.
They are set up and run by volunteer members of the community and exist in areas where there is community interest. Membership is open to all residents over 16 years of age and all property owners.
Precinct Residents' Associations operate in accordance with their own constitutions and are sometimes incorporated under the Associations Incorporations Act (1984). The Department of Fair Trading (http://www.fairtrading.nsw. gov.au/ (this is not a Sutherland Shire Council web site) assists associations with information about becoming incorporated and operating as an incorporated organisation.
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What is council's role?
Through its Community Consultation Policy council is committed to building partnerships with residents and community groups and valuing their input in its planning and decision making processes.
As part of this, council supports associations to provide a forum through which the community can consider, in an organised and representative way, issues relating to council affecting their local area. Precincts are one way that council uses to consult with the members of the community. They provide ideas and advice to council for its consideration.
Since June 2004 Council no longer provides funding for Precinct Residents' Associations, however it does continue to liase with Associations on local issues. Council's role in the precinct system is outlined in council's Policy on Precinct Residents' Associations, available to download by clicking on the link below.
What can your local PRA do?
Associations can help by:
- bringing neighbourhoods together
- providing a forum for people to raise, discuss and consider local issues
- discussing development and major council projects happening in the area
- finding solutions to common problems
- taking community issues and ideas to council.
Associations encourage people to come along and share their ideas and concerns.
Often agencies other than council take matters to a local association to receive feedback from the community.
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How can you get in touch with your local PRA?
To find out more about or raise a matter with your local association you need to contact them directly through the individuals listed below. To view the association's boundary maps (all in PDF format) click on the links in the table below.
All information below is current as at 8 May 2009 and as provided by the associations themselves. Should you experience difficulty contacting an association, contact council's Strategic Planning Unit on 02 9710 0684.
You can find more information on your Local Precinct Resident Association on council's Community Directory - enter "resident action groups" in the search.
Non-PRA Residents' Groups
There are also several other residents' groups in the Shire such as progress associations which are not precinct residents' groups. Non-PRA groups that are presently active include:
|
Association |
Contact |
|
|
Heathcote Progress Association & Chamber of Commerce |
Graham Beatson
Secretary |
17 Jane Pl
Heathcote 2233
02 9520 6042 |
|
Waterfall Sports, Social & Progress Associations Inc. |
Russell Benn
Secretary |
22 Warabin St
Waterfall 2233
02 4274 1579
sioux@ihug.com.au |
|
Woronora Heights Non-PRA Residents Group |
Brian Budden
President |
6 Wylah Pl
Woronora Heights 2233
0418 769 954
krikse2@hotmail.com |
|
Combined Residents of Sutherland Shire (CROSS) |
Norm Dixon
Chairperson |
4 The Crescent
Woronora 2232 |
You can find these, and similar groups, on council's Community Directory - enter "progress associations" in the search.
What if there isn't an association operating in your area?
You, members of your community or an existing group may be interested in getting one started. To find out how or more about the level of support provided by council contact council's Community Consultation Officer on 02 9710 0684.
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