Seeing Ahead: Localised strategic foresight for council planning

Local government is operating in an environment of compounding change; climate and resilience pressures, rapid digital transformation, shifting community needs. Councillors increasingly need tools that support disciplined long-term thinking, not just responsive decision-making.

This session introduces localised strategic foresight approach that helps councils embed future-focused practice into existing planning and governance rhythms. You will explore how to:

• Interpret megatrends and emerging risks
• Apply scenario planning to stress‑test strategic choices
• Establish practical governance triggers that prompt timely review and adaptive oversight and
• Strengthen oversight by clarifying how foresight connects to council planning cycles and adaptive governance practices

This session gives you practical tools to move beyond reacting to issues as they arise and toward more confident, future-focused governance. You’ll gain a structured way to stress-test council decisions against plausible futures, identify early warning signals, and embed foresight into existing planning and risk oversight—so uncertainty becomes something you govern, not something that governs you.