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Researching how councils plan
Local governments have responsibility for delivery of a number of key services to their citizens. They also do other things – including thinking about future directions and facilitating discussion on outcomes for their communities. The Local Government Act 2002 requires councils to work with communities to help them identify economic, social, environmental and cultural outcomes for now and in the future.
A group of university researchers and practitioners are working together on a five-year study of how councils do their planning and whether they are thinking ahead. Victoria University’s new School of Government has received a grant of $1.25 million over five years from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology to support a collaborative research programme to improve the strategic planning performance and capabilities of local governments. Researchers will look at what councils are doing and identify examples of good practice, and also innovative approaches to working with communities.
The research team, headed by the School of Government’s Professor Claudia Scott, brings together academics and practitioners with a unique mix of policy and planning, public management, economics and local government expertise. The core research team includes Mike Reid, Manager Governance at Local Government New Zealand; Rob Laking, Senior Lecturer in Public Management at the School of Government, Victoria University; Dr John Yeabsley, Senior Fellow at the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research; and Ernst Zollner, Lecturer at the Department of Planning at the University of Auckland. Local government participation in the project is integral to its success, as is the support and participation of Local Government New Zealand and the Society of Local Government Managers.
The research project will develop an evaluative framework, to benchmark existing strategic planning practice. It will also assess council performance in delivering desired social and economic outcomes. This will be achieved through an examination of international literature on best practice and by engaging with 19 New Zealand local authorities to observe their current techniques in action.
New initiatives, such as the integrated planning models developed in Southland, Christchurch, Waitakere and Manukau, will be studied to find effective and transferable features. The research will produce specific recommendations about improving strategic planning and community involvement. This information will be accessible to all local authorities through Local Government New Zealand’s website.
The project aims to improve the flow of information on strategy plans and help councils to share experiences with one another. The research team will publish their findings and present updates on their work at conferences and seminars.
From left, Rodney, Ruapehu and Gore District Councils.
Further information on the research project can be obtained at www.localfutures.ac.nz