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Informing the people
Services to residents depend on clear flow of
information. Councils have an important role in disseminating information
to their citizens – sometimes
locally generated on local issues, and sometimes national information
with a local application.
What do you need to know about building a house?
Councils supply information for people entering the building consent process. Certain information is required under legislation. Other kinds are indicated in the Building Bill introduced to Parliament in 2003. Still more is offered as part of community well-being.
Councils offer a range of services, such as helping intending applicants for consents and tailoring information in personal discussions, providing brochures and forms on standard building consent issues, and using web-based services to help homeowners and council specialists share information.
Empowering homeowners
The Building Bill focused on improving information flows. It requires:
- better building controls and a more proactive regulator, providing better guidance and information on how to meet the requirements of the Building Code
- better administration of building controls, with more reliable inspection and code compliance requirements
- more competent and better-informed building practitioners, who will certify their work
- better-informed and protected consumers.
The Ministry of Economic Development’s 2003 pamphlet on Proposed Changes
to the Building Act said the changes were designed, among other things, to
achieve more information on the standards we expect buildings to meet.
BIA and BRANZ
The Building Industry Authority, BIA, is a regulatory body, and is funded through a levy. The Building Research Association of New Zealand, BRANZ Inc, is an industry-owned organization also funded by a levy. Both levies come from a small portion of a building consent. The purpose of the BIA is to administer, maintain and develop New Zealand’s building code, which requires a minimum standard of construction. BRANZ Inc provides research, education, advice and literature for the building industry. It focuses on enhancements that allow owners, designers and builders more choice.
Central/local database
The 2004-04 Government Budget allocation for a central/local database is an illustration of the engagement between local and central government.
Officials say the database will be used to collect, analyse and disseminate data online about activities of local government.
It is to improve public awareness and encourage participation in
local government decision-making to help local authorities consider
shared
and improved service delivery options.
Official Information Act
Sometimes, there are problems with access to information. Sometimes information is provided without links to action. Sometimes information is withheld. Parliament has put in checks and balances to help the creation and release of relevant information.
Through the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, Parliament gave citizens power to help them get access to information held by local government. This aims:
‘ . . . to make official information held by local authorities more freely available, to provide for proper access by each person to official information relating to that person which is held by local authorities, to provide for the admission of the public to meetings of local authorities, to protect official information held by local authorities and the deliberations of local authorities to the extent consistent with the public interest and the preservation of personal privacy, and establish procedures for the achievement of those purposes.’
