Welcome to the Berry Forum

The Berry Forum is the Community Consultative Body (CCB) representing the views of the Berry region  to the  local government authority, Shoalhaven City Council. The goal of the Forum is to provide the community with an informed capability to influence the future of the Berry region.

Membership:
The Forum is open to all ratepayers and residents of the Berry region, who are members automatically.  We do not require membership fees.  Visitors from outside our CCB are welcome, but they do not have voting rights.

Committee:
Ian Hendry (Chair), Stuart Coughlan (Secretary), Laurie Watson (Treasurer), Mary Beare (Minutes Secretary), Robyn Baxendale, Judith Ball, David Brawn, Gail Paton, Emanuele Rattazzi, Cassandra Harris, John Jeston, Peter Saul.

Objectives:
To provide a communication link and understanding of the decision making processes of Council and other agencies.
To facilitate discussion on issues of concern within the community and exchange ideas, independent of any interest group,
To represent to Council the Berry community’s consensus view on any given matter, including that of local groups, and to assist other views in being heard.
To promote community spirit through the sharing of community-relevant information.

Forum Involvement in the Development Planning process:
The Forum supports appropriate and sustainable development in the Berry region and offers assistance to both proponents of new developments and objectors as follows:

  • Information about DAs – Each month, Council posts all Shoalhaven development applications on its DA Tracking system website. The Forum Committee extracts information relating to DAs in the Berry region and posts it on the Forum website. A link is provided via the regular Forum newsletter.
  • Resident concerns – Residents concerned about a DA or draft planning proposal should make a submission to Council and encourage others to do so if they share the concerns. If the concerns are significant, a town planner should be engaged.
  • Requests for assistance – Residents or proponents can request assistance from the Committee with regard to the planning process. If a group of residents has significant concerns they may email the Committee to request assistance with communications and navigating through Council processes. Proponents and resident groups are invited to present at Forum meetings.
  • When the Forum Committee may initiate action – If a development does not align with the intent of planning legislation, the Committee may choose to investigate and liaise with Council. If irregularities are discovered, the Committee will report its findings at a Forum meeting and seek endorsement for a course of action.
    Should endorsement be obtained, and depending upon the seriousness of findings, the Committee may represent the views of Forum members to Council, other CCBs, our State MP, the Department of Planning or the Planning Minister.
    Outcomes resulting from action taken will be reported via Forum meetings, the Forum website and regular newsletters.

Treasurer’s Report: 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023

Guidelines – Conduct of Community Consultative Bodies, Shoalhaven City Council. – Download

Constitution – The Constitution was endorsed by the Forum meeting on 10 September 2015 –  Constitution

Berry CCB area