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At the Interface - e-bulletin March 2009

03/18/2009

Welcome to the latest edition of At the Interface – bringing you news, events and information supporting local and central government collaboration to achieve community outcomes.

Some of the documents below are in pdf format. You need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. You can download a free version from the Adobe site.

In this edition

  • Draft 2009-2019 LTCCPs

Local authorities are renewing their long-term council community plans (LTCCPs) in 2009. Local authorities make draft LTCCPs available to encourage community input into the final, adopted versions.

Draft 2009-2019 LTCCPs

This index page has been created to make it easy to find all draft LTCCPs. This page will be updated as draft LTCCPs are released.

Several draft LTCCPs are already available, while many are due to be released in late March or April.

Final LTCCPs must be adopted by 30 June 2009.

The LTCCP is the key strategic planning document for local authorities in New Zealand. It describes how local authorities fulfil their responsibilities under the Local Government Act 2002 to manage finances, promote community priorities and well-being, and enable democratic local decision-making.

Further information about LTCCPs

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  • Responding to the recession and driving local economic prosperity

Resources, guidance and examples from the UK

The United Kingdom's Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) has recently developed two resources to assist local authorities with improving local economic performance during the challenging times of a global recession. These resources provide advice that can be usefully applied by local authorities and agencies working in New Zealand communities.

No Council of Despair: Positive local leadership in a recession

(pdf 1.4mb)

The primary task of this guide is to help local authorities in the UK fulfil their community leadership responsibilities in difficult economic times. It provides advice for developing a coherent response to the recession, while emphasising the value of retaining a long-term vision.

The impact of the global economic downturn has arguably been felt more rapidly in the UK than in New Zealand. This resource provides a number of small and large case-studies of the responses that local authorites in the UK are taking. It poses a series of questions for local authorities to ask themselves when planning for the impact of a recession in their community.

The resource is structured into five key steps that councils can take to ensure a comprehensive response to the recession

  • Leading and communicating a coherent local response to the recession
  • Using your response to shape the new world
  • Gathering intelligence on the local impact of the recession
  • Building a local plan of action to respond to the recession
  • Responding to the new pressures on your council

Of particular interest is Step 4 - 'Building a local plan of action to respond to the recession'. This looks at what actions local authorities and other community agencies can take to deliver a coherent and comprehensive local response to the impact of the recession. This includes supporting local business, stimulating investment, and responding to unemployment and housing issues.

Driving Economic Prosperity - Benchmark and diagnostic for local authorities

(pdf 1.9mb)

This tool is designed to assist local authorities to promote long-term economic development and improve the performance of their local economy.

It provides a framework for understanding, assessing and approaching processes, mechanisms and drivers of economic prosperity.

Processes of economic prosperity

  • understanding the economy
  • economic strategy
  • delivery, monitoring and evaluation

Mechanisms of economic prosperity

  • engagement
  • partnership
  • leadership

Drivers of economic prosperity

  • improving business performance
  • supporting priority sectors
  • raising skills and reducing worklessness
  • maximising connectivity
  • enhancing quality of life
  • stimulating investment

IDeA

The Improvement and Development Agency for local government (IDeA) is a British organisation working for local government improvement so councils can serve people and places better.

More information about IDeA

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  • Communities and the economic downturn

The Office of the Community and Voluntary Sector (OCVS) has posted information on their website about how the current economic environment might impact on the community sector in New Zealand.

Communities and the economic downturn

This includes links to national and international resources and research, as well as information about a workshop held in Welllington in February called "Impact on Communities: Managing the Downturn Together".

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  • Local Government Information Series - new releases

The Local Government Information Series (LGIS) is a programme of research, evaluation and information collection about local government, being undertaken by The Department of Internal Affairs.

For more information about LGIS visit www.localcouncils.govt.nz

Several new reports in this series have recently been released.

Local Government Case Studies

This series of case studies looks at how councils have approached the planning (mainly the long-term council community plan), decision-making and community outcomes provisions of the Local Government Act 2002. The case studies are based on interviews undertaken in 2008 with seven territorial authorities and two regional councils.

Case Studies

Local Government Representation Processes

Review of Local Government Representation Processes (pdf 631KB)

The Local Government Act 2002 requires that local authorities undertake a representation review at least once every six years. This research looks at long-term overall changes in council representation, including changes associated with council representation review processes.

Analysis of Council Organisations

Analysis of Council Organisations (pdf 339KB)

Many councils have associated or subsidiary council organisations in which they have some form of ownership or controlling interest. This research gives an overview of council organisations, including

  • how councils are using their council organisations
  • the contribution council organisations make to total council finances
  • addressing issues in the way councils are using their council organisations.

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  • Poets Corner Community Renewal

The Hamilton suburb of Enderley has undergone a transformation thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Hamilton City Council, New Zealand National Community Policing Group, and the local community.

Enderley, also known as Poets Corner, has a troubled history. Described by one long-time resident as a “magnet for those on low incomes and gang activity”, it has been known locally as a crime hotspot and gang stronghold.

Renewing the suburb became a flagship project for the groups involved in the Hamilton Social Wellbeing Strategy. This collaboration developed an action plan, which is improving the social and physical infrastructure, rediscovering pride and creating a sense of progress in the community.

Keys to success include

  • a commitment to working together
  • involving the community in the process of identifying issues and finding local solutions
  • the pivotal role of the community constable
  • the Community Centre, which is encouraging youth involvment with their community.

Continue reading Poets Corner Community Renewal

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  • Website for cultural well-being information

www.culturalwellbeing.govt.nz

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH) has developed this website to improve information-sharing about cultural well-being.

In particular, it has been established to help local authority staff understand more fully what cultural well-being means and why it is important.

MCH defines cultural well-being as "the vitality that communities and individuals enjoy through:

  • participation in recreation, creative and cultural activities;
  • and the freedom to retain, interpret and express their arts, history, heritage and traditions."

The Local Government Act 2002 requires local authorities to promote the cultural well-being of their communities. This site highlights the many resources, guidelines, research reports, statistical collections and other information that can be found on government and local authority websites.

Features of the website include

If you have any resources relating to cultural well-being that could be added to the website, or for further information, please contact Mary.Donn@mch.govt.nz.

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  • Funding for your community

Department of Internal Affairs Local Government and Community Branch

The Local Government and Community Branch of the Department of Internal Affairs administers a range of community grants and funding schemes. Funding supports local initiatives, community services and community-based youth development.

Last year, over $18 million was distributed to communities and organisations around New Zealand.

Local authorities are eligible to apply for many of these schemes. Currently, 7 council projects are receiving funding from the community grants schemes.

Closing dates for a number of funding rounds are fast approaching

Community Development Scheme – 2009 funding round closes 23 March

  • Funds employment of community development project workers who work on community-driven projects over three years, enabling local people to work together to find solutions to the issues they face. The scheme encourages communities to be innovative and to determine their own development priorities.
  • 2010 funding round opens in November 2009.

Support for Volunteering Fund – 2009/10 funding round closes 20 April 2009

  • Supports and promotes volunteering within New Zealand, recognising the many and vital contributions people make to communities through volunteering.

Community Partnership Fund – final funding round closes 30 March 2009

  • The Community Partnership Fund (CPF) is a contestable fund supporting community projects that aim to help communities achieve their aspirations through using information and communication technology.

The Pacific Development and Conservation Trust – expressions of interest close 31 March 2009

  • The Trust is committed to supporting sustainable development in the Pacific, where communities are engaged and working in partnership with iwi, hapū, the local indigenous people and communities.

Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust – funding round closes 31 March and 30 September 2009

  • The Trust strengthens the unique identity of Chinese New Zealanders and their communities in New Zealand, in recognition of poll-tax payers.

Other Grants and Trusts administered by the Local Government and Community Branch

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  • Implementation of the Waste Minimisation Act 2008

The Waste Minimisation Act brings the waste management responsibilities of territorial authorities into one Act, and clarifies the roles and responsibilities of territorial authorities in waste management and minimisation.

On March 19 the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) will release the discussion document Waste Minimisation in New Zealand.

MfE is seeking feedback on 5 key waste priorities. Workshops will be held around the country to assist those wanting to make a submission. These sessions are your chance to question MfE waste experts on areas of the discussion paper you’re interested in submitting ideas on.

Waste Minimisation Act Consultation

Submissions close at 5.00 pm on Friday 15 May 2009.

MfE has also released an information sheet for Territorial Authorities on the Waste Minimisation Act. Guidance on Waste Management and Minimisation planning for territorial authorities will be released in May.

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  • Contact us

At the Interface is the newsletter of The Department of Internal Affairs' Interface Facilitation Team.

Please email communityoutcomes@dia.govt.nz with any questions or for further information.

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