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It’s wise to work together
Fostering a ‘joined-up’ government
When you are part of a council or organisation it is very easy to see only your own role and goals or those of close colleagues. This can lead to inefficiencies and things being done twice or being totally neglected. These days, much more emphasis is being put on the need to coordinate activities, to stress at every opportunity the importance of the interrelationships of all sectors.
For example, the district health board may welcome access to the schools for projects such as health promotion. Both may find common interest with the local council to provide sports grounds and other facilities that help school and health promotion goals to be advanced. Central government strategies may support such approaches, which local interests can develop, govern and manage best with local knowledge and people.
The Local Government Act 2002 intends that councils work with central, district and regional government, different councils within an area, business units within a council, the community, other organisations, groups and businesses to provide a cohesive approach to planning for the well-being of the community and fostering real democratic participation.
‘Silos’ occur naturally in most businesses and organisations. It happens when groups, departments, business units and so on focus on their own goals, objectives and problems without taking into account what other similar groups are doing or how their work affects other such groups. This can sometimes be territorial, but mostly it is just a lack of communication and understanding of the roles of others and how that might affect what you are doing.
For example, when the Ministry of Education named several rural Wairoa schools for closure, the Wairoa District Council asked to see any information the Ministry had on the impact on Wairoa’s communities. “If the school goes, the families won’t stay, and the community dies,” says chief executive, Peter Freeman. Told that the impact on communities was outside of the Ministry’s brief, the Wairoa District Council commissioned its own social impact report. “Central government required us to consult on the impact of the location of poker machines,” Peter Freeman commented. “We think the location of schools is more important.”
Working together can be much more effective than working alone. ‘Silo busting’ means looking at issues and solutions for communication between entities so that all work together to provide the best solutions and services.
When the Taranaki District Health Board disclosed plans to shut down Stratford’s maternity unit, Stratford District Council facilitated the campaign to convince it that the unit should stay. The Health Board agreed – after 200 submissions and a petition signed by 5,350 people. Not bad numbers for a district with a population of 9,000!
Fostering a ‘joined-up’ government
Another feature of LGA 2002 was to recognise overlapping spheres of interest. No local authority is entirely isolated and self-sufficient in its planning and decision-making. There are always areas that overlap with other local authorities and organisations, and also central government. Legislation guiding local authorities, schools and health boards encourages partnerships and consultation with others – but does not oblige each agency in a local area to work together.
Neighbouring territorial and regional authorities can work together
to enhance the environment with sustainable practices – perhaps
through coordinated strategies, advice to users and regulation. Central
and regional
government can work together to improve urban transport, or energy, or
water supplies. Central and local, public and private partnerships can
develop the economy. Neighbouring territorial authorities can work with
local district health boards and schools to help their people more by
planning community outcomes in partnership.
This requires cooperation between local authorities, community boards,
central government, and private businesses and organisations. A lot will
depend on the strategies each institution chooses for itself – and
how far its stakeholders encourage it to be inward or outward looking.
