Waikato Strategic Planning Network

Louise Cole, Regional Manager CentralLocal Government & Community Branch

Department of Internal Affairs

25th February 2010

The Department of Internal Affairs serves and connects citizens, communities and government to build a strong safe nation

PurposePurpose

• Strong, sustainable communities/hapü/iwi

• Safer communities• Trusted records of New Zealand

identity

OutcomesOutcomes

Office of Ethnic Affairs

Regulation and Compliance

Ministry of Civil Defence

and EmergencyManagement

Executive Government

SupportIdentity Services

Office of the ChiefExecutive

Local Government and Community

Business Services

Chief ExecutiveBrendan Boyle

Our business groupsOur business groups

Local Government and Community Branch

Community Advisory Services

• Advice and assistance to communities and groups on their community development initiatives

• Broker relationships to support community development initiatives

• Facilitation support

Community resources and informationCommunity resources and information

Local Government and Community Branch

Local Government and Community Branch

• Administers community funding schemes Lottery grants – including Community, Marae Heritage & Facilities, Significant Projects, Environment & Heritage, Individuals with Disabilities, and Community facilities• Crown funds – including Community Development Scheme, Community Internship Programme, Youth Worker Training Scheme and Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS)

• Administers community funding schemes Lottery grants – including Community, Marae Heritage & Facilities, Significant Projects, Environment & Heritage, Individuals with Disabilities, and Community facilities• Crown funds – including Community Development Scheme, Community Internship Programme, Youth Worker Training Scheme and Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS)

Local Government and Community Branch

• Linking local and central government

• Connecting local government and community

• Working with local and central government on issues•Auckland Governance•TAFM•Dog Control and Safety

• Linking local and central government

• Connecting local government and community

• Working with local and central government on issues•Auckland Governance•TAFM•Dog Control and Safety

Local Government and Community Branch

• Policy advice to Ministers• Community and voluntary issues• Local government issues

• Administration of legislation

• Local Government Act 2002• Charities Act 2005

• Trust administration• Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust• Norman Kirk Memorial Trust• Pacific Development and

Conservation Trust• Winston Churchill Memorial Trust

New Zealand’s systemof local government

New Zealand’s systemof local government

• Largely autonomous of central government

•power of general competence

•works in partnership with central government

•some activities required by central government

• High level of financial independence from central government (central contribution approximately 13%)

• Councils are accountable to communities through a three year local election cycle and other processes

• Largely autonomous of central government

•power of general competence

•works in partnership with central government

•some activities required by central government

• High level of financial independence from central government (central contribution approximately 13%)

• Councils are accountable to communities through a three year local election cycle and other processes

The role of the Minister of Local Government

• Responsible for the legislative framework within which local government operates:

Local Government Act 2002 – overall governance Local Electoral Act 2001 – conduct of elections Local Government (Rating) Act 2002 – primary funding Local Government Act 1974 – residual provisions

• Not involved in day-to-day operations or decisions

• Limited powers of intervention,

mainly in cases of serious failure

or difficulty• Inquiries

Department of Internal Affairs’ role

• Advises and supports the Minister of Local Government and provides other Ministers with advice as required

• Administers the Local Government Act 2002

• Supports the Local Government Commission, and undertakes, on the Minister’s behalf, territorial authority functions for some offshore islands

Changes in community planning and engagement

• Improving Transparency, Accountability and Financial Management (TAFM)

• Auckland Governance Reforms

Structure

73 Territorial Authorities 67 Territorial Authorities

4 Unitary 5 Unitary

12 Regional Councils 11 Regional Councils

Current November 2010

Auckland governance

• Governance not working well, needs change

• New structure to ensure growth and prosperity for the next 50 years

• Want civic leaders to think regionally, plan strategically and act decisively.

• The new framework balances the need:

• need for strong regional governance

• local communities to have a strong voice on issues closer to home

Auckland governance legislation

ACT 1LOCAL GOVERNMENT [TAMAKI MAKAURAU REORGANISATION]

ACT

ACT 2LOCAL GOVERNMENT

(AUCKLAND COUNCIL) ACT

Bill 3LOCAL GOVERNMENT

(AUCKLAND LAW REFORM) BILL

INTRODUCED MAY 09

ENACTED 23 MAY 09

INTRODUCED DECEMBER 09

ENACTMENT - MAY 10

INTRODUCED MAY 09

ENACTED 22 SEPTEMBER 09

PROVIDES FOR

AUCKLAND TRANSITION AGENCY with POWERS

UNITARY AUCKLAND COUNCIL

WATER INTEGRATION

PROVIDES FOR

UNITARY REPRESENTATION

MAYOR with POWERS

LOCAL BOARDS

LGC POWERS

BOUNDARIES

PROVIDES FOR

INTERIM OPERATION OF THE AUCKLAND COUNCIL FROM 1 NOVEMBER 2010

ON-GOING GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS

COMPLETE TRANSITION PROVISIONS

PASSED UNDER URGENCY WITHOUT SELECT COMMITTEE PROCESS

COMPRESSED SELECT COMMITTEE PROCESS

FULLER SELECT COMMITTEE PROCESS

Auckland governanceGoverning Body

Auckland Council Mayoral Role

• One unitary Council for Auckland [Auckland Council] with 20-30 local boards

• One Mayor, with powers, elected ‘at-large’ using FPP

• 20 Councillors elected from single-member or multi- member wards, using FPP

• 1 LTCCP

• 1 District Plan

• 1 rates bill

• 1 rating system

• 1 IT system

• 3 yearly term for elections

• Spatial plan

• 1 Waterfront Development Agency• 1 Regional Transport Authority• 1water and wastewater provider

• Articulate and promote vision for Auckland

• Provide leadership for purpose of achieving vision

• Lead development of plans, policies and budgets

• Ensure effective engagement with particular groups and communities and generally with the people of Auckland

Mayoral Powers

• Appoint the Deputy Mayor• Determine committee structure and appoint chairperson

of each Council committee

• Propose Auckland council budget and strategic direction

• Establish, maintain and staff a Mayoral office

• Mayoral office assured budget of at least 0.2 % of Council’s operating budget

Auckland governance

GOVERNING BODY LOCAL BOARDS• Role is to promote social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being within its district

• Role is to promote social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being for their community on issues that are locally significant

• Responsible for regional strategies, policies, plans and bylaws, including district planning and the development of any spatial plans

• Make decisions on the level of local services and facilities needed in the local area to be provided by the Auckland Council

• All Service delivery on its own behalf and on behalf of the local boards; including contracting for services delivered by third parties

• Provide input into the Auckland Council’s strategies and policies etc

• Maintain the overall balance sheet for the region • Recommend bylaws to the Auckland Council

• Responsible for regional infrastructure (e.g. parks, stadia, museums, libraries and other recreational facilities

• Undertake any other activity delegated by the Auckland Council

• Develops its own bylaws, and approves bylaws recommended by local boards

• Make decisions that give effect to ‘place-shaping’ activities – support for a local community initiative such as a youth at risk programme

• Meet all statutory regulatory requirements of local authorities

• Can raise local revenue through targeted rates

• Responsible for civil defence and emergency management and for rural fire

The council planning framework

Community Outcomes

Knowing the community and what people want

Knowing what the council is doing and why Knowing how it’s

going to be paid for

Knowing the environment people live in

Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP)

Annual Plan

Annual Report

Knowing whether the council did what it said it would do

Community outcomes

• Desired state of affairs identified by communities at least every six years

• Co-ordination and application of community resources

• Guide activities of local authorities and others

• Council leads communities in development

• Collaborative process

• Informs LTCCP development

• Councils to monitor and report

TAFM package

Better control of costs, rates, and activities

• Pre-election report

• Draws information together in accessible format

• Councils to focus on core services

• Must have “particular regard”

• List based on commonly held view of core activities

TAFM package

Simpler long term plans

• LTCCP becomes “long-term plan”

• Content changes

• Financial strategy included

• Remove operational policies

• Streamline non-financial reporting

TAFM package

Plain English financial disclosures

• Plans and reports to show sources and application of funds for whole council and groups of activity

• Improve inter-council comparisons

• Consistent financial information classification

• Standard groups of activities for infrastructural services

• Standardise non-financial performance measures for infrastructural services

• Asset management plans

TAFM package

Community outcomes

• Change the definition to those outcomes a local authority aims to achieve to maintain and improve the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of its district or region – putting the focus on council outcomes

• No longer required to run separate process to identify community outcomes or report on progress

• Long-term plan becomes main vehicle for debating outcomes: prioritisation and affordability considered in broader context

•

TAFM package

Community outcomes –

What is required this year if community outcomes were adopted under s91&92 LG02 in 2004?

• (a) requirement to produce the 3 yearly report on progress to achieving outcomes and

• (b) carry out a consultation process to review outcomes for the next six years.