Client: Parkes Shire Council | Project timeframe: 2021-2030
“Using the Place Score social research helped me feel like I knew so much about the community whom I hadn’t met. The data evidence shifted our Council’s reputation from an underdog to one that genuinely wanted to connect with the community.”
Teresa Cooper | Corporate Planning and Performance Coordinator
The problem
Like many regional and remote councils, Parkes faces the same strategic and reporting requirements of larger organisations but with less resources, and the urgent need to attract and retain young talent to the area.
In 2025, Parkes again partnered with Place Score to assess the potential community benefit of several major initiatives, including housing, health, and large-scale infrastructure projects. Place Score delivered a tailored assessment framework that provided a clear hierarchy of benefit across the proposals, along with actionable recommendations to maximise social outcomes. This evolving collaboration highlights how evidence-based planning can guide better decisions, from high-level strategy to individual project investment.
The solution
Parkes Shire Council first engaged Place Score for the 2021 Australian Liveability Census, capturing baseline insights into what matters most to its community. Building on this foundation, a full LGA-wide liveability study was conducted in 2023 to inform the development of Parkes’ first Liveability Strategy – a landmark move for the regional shire. Demonstrating the versatility and long-term value of community engagement data, the results were also used to shape the 2024 Community Strategic Plan.
In 2025 Parkes committed to a long term, data driven approach to organisational planning and reporting by adding Place Score’s Service Monitor – community satisfaction surveying and reporting.
The outcome
In 2025 Parkes Shire Council was one of a handful of regional councils nationally where community sentiment regarding increased with a 3% rise compared to a national drop of 1%
The comprehensive integration of consistent community priorities and insights across multiple strategies and projects is building trust with the community, as well as focussing investment in things that really matter.
To date liveability data has been used for:
- Liveability Strategy
- Community Strategic Plan
- Community Benefits Assessment
- State of the Shire Report
- CBD Vibrancy Strategy
