With five Local Aboriginal Land Councils located within Clarence Valley, the Aboriginal Chapter of the Clarence Valley Social Plan proposed the establishment of a consultative committee.
Council’s Community Development Worker, Graham Purcell, said the establishment of the Clarence Valley Aboriginal Consultative Committee (CVACC) is a ground breaking initiative of the new Council.
“The Committee has been established to provide Council with advice on Aboriginal community needs across the Clarence Valley, to guide the implementation of the Social Plan, and importantly, to create a communication structure,” he said. “We have quite a unique situation in the Clarence because of the number of land Councils (five in total) within the local area. These cross many traditional lands and language groups.
“We are looking at this as a model that may offer assistance to other Councils.” The Committee meets bimonthly, alternating venues to accommodate all communities involved. Graham Purcell said the committee had met three times already and has proven to be quite successful.
“The Aboriginal community feel they are in control of meeting their own needs and are happy with that,” he said.
The CVACC is currently in the process of drafting service agreements to help establish formal partnerships with service providers. This will help ensure identified agencies commit adequate staff and resources to assist in overcoming problems encountered within the Aboriginal community.
