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Waikato Strategic Planners Network

27 November 2015Svea Cunliffe-Steel, Sector Manager – Waikato/BOP/Taranaki/Wanganui

Image here

November 2015

Hamilton

What I’m going to cover …

Consultation Documents

2015-2025 Long term plans

Annual Plans

LTP Amendments

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Consultation Documents - the problem they were intended to address

…Previously local authorities published draft LTPs for publication. These were long and complex documents that were difficult for most of the community to respond to …

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The solution

A document that marshalled the right debate:

• Elected member-led

• Short and succinct

• Good issue and option description (including context and implications)

• Consultation questions

• Often used the financial and infrastructure strategies to set the scene

• Excluded what was not on the table

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Where improvements are needed

• Too much background information and context, leading to a loss of focus

• Poorly described infrastructure and financial strategies and how they related to the significant issues

• Unclear issues and/on what was being consulted on

• Poorly written consultation questions

• “It’s all BAU”

These characteristics (often in combination) lessened the effectiveness of the documents’ consultation value

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Measuring effectiveness

On balance, a positive “yes”

Often used in conjunction with increased use of social media or other less formal approaches … along with the use of tools such as web-based rate calculators

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2018 – focus areas

• Better articulation of issues, options and implications

• What about non-key issues that are important to the community?

• Attention to significance and engagement policy

• Access to information supporting the CD

• Think a bit more about succinctness – an average of 32 pages

• Allow yourselves sufficient time

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2015-25 long-term plans

• Local authorities provide substantial services to their communities, therefore planning how to provide those services is important.

• Content required in 2014 changed with amendments to the LGA 2002.

• The sector has risen to the challenge.

• But, there are areas for improvement.

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Forecast annual renewals as a percentage of the forecast depreciation amount

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2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 00

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Forecast renewals as % of depreciation 2015 LTP Forecast renewals as % of depreciation 2012 LTP

% o

f dep

recia

tion

expe

nse

Total forecast year-on-year rates movements, 2012-22 and 2015-25

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2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 20250

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

Total sector year on year rates movments

Year on year rates movements in 2015-25 LTPs Linear (Year on year rates movements in 2015-25 LTPs)Year on year rates movements in 2012-22 LTPs Linear (Year on year rates movements in 2012-22 LTPs)

Perc

enta

ge m

ovem

ents

Forecast debt in the latest and previous LTPs

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Infrastructure strategies

• Introduced a richer and more considered perspective to each LTP.

• But local authorities missed opportunities to clearly set out how they will continue to provide services over next 30 years.

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Infrastructure strategies with strong characteristics:

• took a longer outlook than the minimum 30-year requirement and included more than the required asset activities;

• were well integrated to the wider context of the Council and particularly to key financial information; and

• were clear about the effect of change on infrastructure needs.

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Deficiencies included:• Weak description of the effects of demographic change, and

the actions planned to address those effects;• A lack of analysis to support the sustainability and

affordability of the projects set out in the infrastructure strategies;

• A lack of description of the likely long term effects on the financial sustainability of the local authority and the phasing of projects in the context of acknowledged uncertainties about asset condition information; and

• A lack of discussion or analysis on the long term view of economic activities.

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Annual Plans

Must still prepare and adopt one

Must still comply with the requirements in Schedule 10

Must contain the proposed budget and FIS for the year

Other Part 2 of Schedule 10 requirements should be referenced to the LTP rather than duplicated

Must identify any variations

Do not need to consult if there are not significant or material differences from the LTP

It is not audited

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What is significant

Refer to your Significance & Engagement Policy

S5 LGA definition – significance means the degree of importance in terms of its impact on the district, those affected, or the capacity of the Council to perform its role.

Significant means it has a high degree of significance

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What is material

Refer to s95A(5)

A difference, variation or departure is material if it could, itself, or in conjunction with other differences, influence the decisions or assessments of those reading or responding to the consultation document.

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Differences from the LTP

s95A(2) refers to differences. These include:- Variations/departures from financial statements or FIS- New spending proposals- Proposals to substantially delay or not proceed with significant

projects

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If consultation is required

Must consult in accordance with the principles of s82

Must prepare a consultation document

Should set out the differences between the proposed annual plan and what is in the LTP

Must be concise and simple

Must not contain a draft of the Annual Plan or any policy, or any information that is unnecessary or undesirable

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LTP Amendments

Must use the special consultative procedure.

Requires a consultation document which must be prepared in accordance with s93B to 93G

Should include description of proposed amendment, reasons, implications, and any alternatives

The Consultation Document is audited

If an LTP amendment is being done at the same time as the Annual Plan, the consultation process is combined, and the special consultative procedure must be used, and the entire document is audited.

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Thanks for your time

Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any queries, or want some guidance. I’m happy to help.

[email protected]

021 222 4451

04 917 1598

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mailto:[email protected]

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