The extensive schedule of BE HEARD workshops, market stalls, online forums and surveys has now concluded. We've travelled from Stanage Bay to Bajool, visiting 14 localities in between to find out what you want for the future of the Rockhampton Region.

Two projects that will detail the future we ant, the Community Plan and Rockhampton Regional Council Planning Scheme, are currently being developed. Residents' thoughts and ideas gathered throughout the BE HEARD process will be incorporated into both documents.

We are now in the process of analysing the data collected during the consultation process to ensure the Community Plan represents the wants and needs of the Region's residents. Council's Community Development Officers will be travelling to localities throughout the Region in September and October 2011, for validation and endorsement by local residents.

Meanwhile, a draft Community Plan will be written and brought back to the community in October for comments, with subsequent feedback to be incorporated before being formally endorsed by Rockhampton Regional Council in November 2011.

The Rockhampton Regional Council Planning Scheme has already taken BE HEARD participants' feedback into account, with an importance placed in the plan on footpaths and bikeways. Further results gathered from the BE HEARD consultation process will be incorporated before the first plan of the draft is written by December 2011.

The Community Plan is a ten year plan, commencing from July 2012, which will identify the community's needs and priorities to provide a framework for our future and will detail how we can achieve the community's desired outcomes.

The Rockhampton Regional Council Planning Scheme will provide a consistent approach to the management of land use and development in our Region. Rockhampton Regional Council is developing a new single planning scheme for our Region that will replace the four existing planning schemes.

For more information, please click here to leave the Rockhampton Regional Council website to go to the BE HEARD site, which is housed on the Bang the Table servers.

Rockhampton Regional Council is collecting the personal information you supply in online forums and surveys for the purpose of obtaining feedback on the Rockhampton Regional Community Plan and the Planning Scheme. Council is authorised to do this under section 125 of the Local Government (Finance, Plans and Reporting) Regulation 2010. Council is using the tools provided by Bang the Table Pty Limited, a private company with which Council has contracted, to conduct forums and surveys. Bang the Table's servers are located in Sydney, Australia and the information you provide in response to the forums and surveys if you wish to contribute will be securely stored on their servers. By signing on as a registered user at the BE HEARD site you agree to your personal information being transferred to the Bang the Table servers in Sydney. Your personal details will not be disclosed to any other person or agency external to Council without your consent unless required or authorised by law.