Central Coast Council has taken out a top honour at this year’s RH Dougherty Awards for its innovative Central Coast Waterways Report Card.

The annual Awards, established in 1981 by Local Government NSW, highlight best-practice council communication and liaison with the communities they serve.

Central Coast Council won the ‘Reporting to Your Community’ Award for its inaugural Central Coast Waterways Report Card, which aims to educate the community about the impacts of their actions on local waterways and foster pride in these important natural assets.

Council’s Director of Environment and Planning, Scott Cox said Council is thrilled to be recognised for the program, which provides an important platform for sharing the story of waterway conservation with the community.

“The Central Coast Waterways Report Card tells the story of waterway health in a language that is common to all of us and provides a tool to bridge the gap between science, management and community values,” Mr Cox said.

“Our vision is that the Waterways Report Card continues to be a focal point in a long conversation with our community about waterway health and will be part of the driving force behind improvements which can only truly come about if we all work together.”

Mayor Lisa Matthews said that Council is honoured to be recognised for this important initiative, which is the first of its kind on the Central Coast and sets a standard for best practices in community education across the state.

“The Central Coast is known for its natural beauty - maintaining our natural assets is a critical component of what we value as a community,” said Mayor Matthews.

“Our Environment and Planning Team is to be commended for their involvement in this project, which plays an important role in protecting our rich environmental heritage and casts a positive spotlight on our region.”

Learn more about the initiative and view the Waterways Report Card 2017-2018 at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/waterwayhealth.