PoweringWA is currently delivering the Community Benefits Plan Pilot (the Pilot) in two areas within the South West Interconnected System (SWIS): the Central Coast region, including the Shire of Dandaragan and Victoria Plains, and the Southern Wheatbelt region, including the Shires of Narrogin and West Arthur. Resources and learnings from the Pilot will be shared with Local Governments to support them engaging with the Community Benefits Guideline in the future.

Community Benefits Plans

Community Benefits Plans are roadmaps for benefits spending, developed collaboratively by members of the local community. They support communities to articulate a clear and strategic approach to benefits, ensuring they are place-based and supported by streamlined decision‑making, and reduce the administrative burden of benefits arrangements by establishing consistent regional processes that still reflect local needs. Importantly, they are designed through community workshops, made up of representatives from a cross-section of the local community. The expertise and local knowledge of Local Governments means that they are well positioned to make an important contribution to the community workshops and the development of effective Plans.

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Community Benefits Plans Pilot

The Pilot is supporting the rollout of the Guideline by developing Community Benefits Plans in the Shires of Narrogin, West Arthur, Victoria Plains and Dandaragan. PoweringWA will work with communities to develop Plans that align benefits funding with locally identified priorities and deliver positive social, cultural and economic outcomes for local communities, demonstrating the effectiveness of the model. Ultimately, the Pilot will test and refine the Community Benefits Plan process to ensure it supports the best possible outcomes for communities affected by new renewable projects in the SWIS.

Resources for Local Government

The Pilot program will also generate community support material insights, templates (such as plan structures, engagement protocols, governance arrangements, and reporting tools) and fit-for-purpose processes that can be used by Local Governments and other groups. Resources will be published on this web page as they become available.

Stay up to date

Want to keep up to date as the Pilot progresses? Follow the link below to sign up to our Community Benefits Plan Pilot mailing list.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Information to support your Local Government better understand the Guideline and Pilot program.

Find out more

If you have questions, concerns or need help to find more information, please email our PoweringWA Community Support team at PoweringWAsupport@deed.wa.gov.au.

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Pilot Information for Community

Information about the Community Benefits Plan Pilot for communities in participating Shires.

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Community Benefits Guideline

PoweringWA has released the Community Benefits Guideline to support communities hosting new energy infrastructure to realise meaningful benefits from WA’s energy transition.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions about the Community Benefits Guideline.

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Information for Local Government: Community Benefits Plan Pilot

What is the purpose of the Community Benefits Plan Pilot program, and which Shires are involved?

When will the Pilot program begin and what is the expected timeline for delivery?

What role do Regional Development Commissions play in managing community benefits funds, and why have they been selected to play this role?

Will the Pilot program determine how funding allocations should be made for renewable energy projects that are spread across more than one Local Government area?

Who holds ultimate Ministerial oversight and accountability for the collection and release of community benefits expenditure?

Will funding requests that align with an areas Community Benefits Plan still be required to go through a validation process before funding is released?

Can developers reduce their benefits contributions if they already pay council rates or have made separate private agreements (for example Neighbour Agreements or agreements with the local Prescribed Body Corporate)?

Does the Guideline apply retrospectively to renewable energy projects that are currently operational?

What kind of practical resources will Local Governments receive as the Pilot progresses?

My Local Government has active renewable projects progressing through planning and development processes but was not selected as a Pilot location. What support is available?