What is the purpose of the City Council?
The purpose of local government is:
(a) to enable democratic local decision-making and action by,
and on behalf of, communities and
(b) to promote the social, economic, environmental and cultural
wellbeing of communities, in the present and for the future. S10 of the Local Government Act 2002 (LGA)
The principles (S14, LGA) relating to local authorities are
important for Christchurch 2021:
(1) In performing its role, a local authority must act in accordance
with the following principles:
(a) a local authority should—
(i) conduct its business in an open, transparent, and democratically
accountable manner; and
(ii) give effect to its identified priorities and desired outcomes
in an efficient and effective manner:
(b) a local authority should make itself aware of, and should
have regard to, the views of all of its communities; and
(c) when making a decision, a local authority should take account
of—
(i) the diversity of the community, and the community's
interests, within its district or region; and
(ii) the interests of future as well as current communities;
and
(iii) the likely impact of any decision on each aspect
of well-being - social, economic, environmental and cultural
(d) a local authority should provide opportunities for Maori
to contribute to its decision-making processes:
(e) a local authority should collaborate and co-operate with
other local authorities and bodies as it considers appropriate
to promote or achieve its priorities and desired outcomes, and
make efficient use of resources; and
(f) a local authority should undertake any commercial transactions
in accordance with sound business practices; and
(g) a local authority should ensure prudent stewardship
and the efficient and effective use of its resources in the
interests of its district or region; and
(h) in taking a sustainable development approach, a local
authority should take into account—
(i) the social, economic, and cultural well-being of people
and communities; and
(ii) the need to maintain and enhance the quality of the environment;
and
(iii) the reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations.
(2) If any of these principles, or any aspects of well-being
referred to in S10 are in conflict in any particular case, the
local authority should resolve the conflict in accordance with
the principle in subsection(1)(a)(i)
At least every six years the Council must carry out a process
to identify a set of Community Outcomes for the intermediate
and long-term future of its district. (see S91, LGA)
Every three years the council adopts a Long Term Council Community
Plan (LTCCP). The LTCCP is subject to the special consultative
procedure which provides an opportunity for participation by the
public in decision-making processes on activities to be undertaken
by the council. (S93, LGA)
The purpose of the LTCCP is to describe the community outcomes
and council’s activities, and provide integrated decision-making
and co-ordination of the council resources and a long-term focus
for their decisions and activities.
It provides a basis for accountability of the local authority
to the community and covers a period of not less than 10 consecutive
financial years;
In intervening years the Council produces an Annual Plan
(S95, LGA)
The Council is funded through rates paid by property owners
based on the capital value of a property. Some taxpayer money contributes
to local facilities such as roads and public transport. In Christchurch
the companies in which the Council has shares (including Orion,
Red Bus, Christchurch Airport, Lyttelton Port, City Care) return
an annual dividend to the Council.
And The Functions?
community well-being and development
economic development, arts and cultural events, social housing
environmental health and safety (including building control, civil defense,
liquor licensing, dog control, and environmental health matters)
infrastructure (roading and transport
cycle ways, footpaths, bus shelters; sewerage
pipes, treatment and disposal; water supply; stormwater;
rubbish collection
recycling, organic collection and processing, landfill)
recreation and culture
parks and reserves, playgrounds, libraries, community centres,
swimming pools, the museum, the art gallery
resource management including land use planning and
development control
through the City Plan and resource consents
to control the effects of land use; impacts on neighbours;
avoid natural hazards; protect biodiversity
How does the Council operate?
Council meetings are chaired by the Mayor, who also should provide
leadership and direction for the Council as a whole. The Council
appoints a Chief Executive Officer who then has responsibility
for appointing other staff. Generally the Council is responsible
for governance - such as making strategy and policy, setting the
long term and annual budgets and thus the rates and/or borrowing
required to finance them. The staff are responsible for the executive
role, putting policy into action, monitoring, reporting and advising
the councillors.
Currently Council meetings are held each week on a Thursday morning,
and issues are developed through portfolio groups and seminars.
From 2007 with a Christchurch 2021 majority this would change
the frequency of full council meetings would, be reduced
and standing committees would be reintroduced. The past problems
of over-dominant chairs of standing committees would be overcome
by Councillor training on the chair’s role, and by raising
the status of the deputy-chair. This would mean that Councillors
could pursue particular interest areas, and the role of spokesperson
would not predominantly fall to the Mayor.
What do Christchurch 2021 Councillors do?
Primarily they represent the people who elected them and act as
an advocate for the interests of the community.
To achieve this they need to know their community, consult residents
and organisations, listen to them, represent their views, and
enable them to participate in the decision-making.
Councillors are required to prepare well for meetings so they
understand the background to each report, and are prepared to
question and debate. Christchurch 2021 Councillors would meet
together before a Council meeting to share their knowledge and
understanding of the particular issues on the agenda.
They also:
attend meetings of city-wide and local residents’ associations
inform local people about plans that may affect them
arrange meetings to discuss specific council issues
make themselves accessible to residents and ratepayers
Participation and Consultation
There are clear requirements in the LGA for how decisions are
made, when consultation is required, and how that consultation
happens.
S77: The Council must identify all reasonably practicable options
for achieving the objective of the decision, assessing
the benefits and costs of each option in terms of the
present and future social, economic, environmental, and cultural
well-being of the district or region; and
the extent to which community outcomes would be promoted
or achieved in an integrated and efficient manner by each
option; and
the impact of each option on the local authority's capacity
to meet present and future needs in relation to any statutory
responsibility of the local authority; and
any other matters that, in the opinion of the local authority,
are relevant
If any of the options identified involves a significant decision
in relation to land or a body of water, the Council must take
into account the relationship of Maori and their culture and traditions
with their ancestral land, water, sites, waahi tapu, valued flora
and fauna, and other taonga.
S78: In the decision making process he Council must give consideration
to the views and preferences of persons likely to be affected
by or to have an interest in the matter.
That consideration must be given at all stages of the process:
when the problems and objectives related to the matter are
defined
when the options that may be reasonably practicable options of achieving
an objective are identified;
when reasonably practicable options are assessed and proposals
developed and adopted
S81: Councils must establish and maintain processes to provide
opportunities for Maori to contribute to the decision-making processes;
and consider ways in which it may foster the development of Maori
capacity to contribute to the decision-making processes of the
local authority; and
Christchurch 2021 supports the LGA Principles of Consultation (S82)
That people who will or may be affected by, or have an
interest in, the decision or matter should be
provided by the council with reasonable access to relevant
information in a manner and format that is appropriate to
the preferences and needs of those persons;
encouraged to present their views to the council:
given clear information by the council about the purpose of the consultation
and the scope of the decisions to be taken following the
consideration of views presented:
provided with a reasonable opportunity to present those views to the council
in a manner and format that is appropriate to the preferences
and needs of those people:
provided by the council with information concerning both the
relevant decisions and the reasons for those decisions.
that the views presented to the local authority should be
received by the council with an open mind and should be given
due consideration:
That the council ensures that it has in place processes
for consulting with Maori.
We do note that the council has to make the decision in the end,
and while endeavouring to find solutions that allow for the different
views many decisions will not please everyone. But the process
MUST be clear, transparent and inclusive.
