Community Recovery

The Community Recovery Have Your Say is an online tool for the bushfire affected and broader community to engage with the Recovery Team and Recovery Community Reference Group to interact and discuss recovery issues that invite community input.

The Community Recovery Have Your Say forum is not intended to replace or repeat the Recovery website www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/yourcouncil/communityrecovery which has a lot more information available for bushfire affected residents. This forum complements the website.

Note: all comments made in the Forum topics are visible to other users of this site.  You are welcome to respond to comments made by others to create an informative and constructive dialogue amongst participants. All views are welcome and respected and participants are asked to do likewise.

You may be prompted to 'register' to make a comment or complete a survey etc. We encourage you to do so as this is very simple to do and, by providing your email address, it allows us to respond to you to directly to confirm your contribution has been received or to answer your questions.

You can contact the Recovery Team via the Q&A tool on this website, or on 4780 5000 or recovery@bmcc.nsw.gov.au

The Recovery Team is currently finalising the Recovery Action Plan which aims to provide a framework for the Blue Mountains’ ongoing efforts to assist the community to rebuild and recover over coming weeks, months and years. The Plan has been informed, as best as possible, by an evaluation of the early recovery phase however can be strengthened by the community's current understanding and experience of recovery.

You are invited and encouraged to contribute to help guide the development of the Recovery Action Plan and priorities by making a comment in the Forum.  It should be noted that the Recovery Action Plan is a live document and priorities will be updated over time, based on the needs of the community and feedback received through forums such as this.

The Blue Mountains Flexible Community Grants Program (hereafter named Community Grants Program) is a NSW Government funding package providing $972,500 for social and economic recovery projects to assist the Blue Mountains community after the October 2013 bushfires. The program is administered by the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Grant applications opened 6 May 2014. The host website for the Community Grant Program is www.dpc.nsw.gov.au/bushfiregrants.

The overall objective of the Community Grants Program is to support a community-led recovery (community and its businesses) from trauma and disruption and be better equipped to withstand potential future disasters, through a variety of activities and projects.

The  Grants Guidelines are also available in the Library on the right hand side of this page. Council will be conducting information sessions to assist the community in understanding the grant funding and how to apply. Information and dates will be provided shortly. We are interested in helping the community collaborate on project ideas to make the most of the grant funding in the short time available. You are invited and encouraged to contribute to ideas for recovery projects by making a comment in the Forum.

IMPORTANT: grant applications can only be made by a community organisation or group. Applications by individuals will not be accepted nor considered. Residents interested in the Community Grant Program are advised to collaborate with a community organisation/group. If you need advice on a suitable community group please contact the closest neighbourhood centre to you - a list is available in the Library on the right hand side of this page.

A CRG has been established with resident representatives and key leaders in the bushfire affected communities. The CRG meets regularly with ongoing dialogue with the Recovery Team as well as their respective communities.  This is an important way for Council to engage with the community and understand community priorities and receive feedback in relation to the ongoing recovery efforts.

The final touches to the administration of the Recovery Community Reference Group are being completed, after which, the membership of the CRG will be announced on this website.