Yorke Peninsula Council has taken out the 2021/22 LGA Scheme Awards Risk Management Major Award for its Strategic Coastal Risk Study.

Award winners were officially announced at the Local Government Association’s Ordinary General Meeting on Friday, 8 April.

Council has 485 kilometres of coastline which presents a range of significant and unique coastal management issues.

Without a clear understanding of the risks, and with limited resources, Council previously addressed issues when they occurred.

Creating the study was an opportunity for Council to move away from reactive management towards a more strategic approach, and develop a clear understanding of how to prioritise constrained budgets, resources and coastal management issues.

Council required a holistic review of all competing coastal management issues to determine and prioritise the risks.

This review also assists decision making through a framework that supported future planning and management of the coast.

Council won grant funding from the Coast Protection Board and engaged coastal management specialist Wavelength to prepare the Strategic Coastal Risk Study.

Wavelength showed a great understanding of the challenges faced by Council in regards to risk identification and prioritisation.

Its team worked closely with key stakeholders including Council personnel and local and state government stakeholders.

“The idea behind the strategy is to look at some of the risks and how Council can help control them and protect our towns into the future,” Mayor Darren Braund said.

“The Council region has a large number of coastal communities and there many things which need to be considered to help protect the environment as well as the townships.”