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Home > NZ Post Local Government Excellence Awards > New Zealand Post Management Excellence Awards - Entries 2004 to 2009 > 2008


Celebrating new ideas

2008 New Zealand Post Group Local Government Excellence Awards

 

Council-Community Relationships Category Award Winner
 
Rotorua District Council
FRESH IDEAS-SHAPING ROTORUA Engaging with our community for the District Plan Review

"Effective community engagement is critical when developing a new district plan.  A district plan review has a heavily prescriptive planning process that is dictated by statute.  The community generally has limited appreciation of how to be involved or influence decisions.  The FRESH IDEAS – SHAPING ROTORUA brand was developed for the innovative community engagement process that Council undertook.  The benefits were, robust community input to the district plan process, real issues of relevance to everyday lives, increased community understanding of the district plan, and a ‘tight and targeted’ staged community engagement process."

Council-Community Relationships Category Other Entries

 

Hamilton City Council

The Poets Corner Project

"Poets Corner is the colloquial local name given to an area of Enderley, because most of its streets are named after English poets.  It is an area with complex social issues, particularly with regards to gang activity. To a youth population bored, and with little opportunity to improve their lives, gang membership appears attractive. Many young people in Poets Corner come from challenging home environments, from families involved in drug and alcohol abuse and gang life. Council and EPCCCI staff, driven by the conviction that young people can be steered away from gang life if they are given positive opportunities, developed the Poets Corner Project."

  • Download the awards entry >>>>
  • For further information about this entry contact:Hannah Banks BanksHa@hcc.govt.nz
Far North District Council
An integrated engagement approach: Informing the 2009 – 2019 Far North Future Plan

"Council, since embarking on its transitional Long Term Council Community Plan in 2004, has sought to develop some innovative mechanisms to engage with a diverse community, geographically, demographically and socio-economically.  Through each new (or review of existing) tool / strategy, Council looks to add value by increasing both accessibility and ease of engagement for the community.  It is expected that this improves the two-way understanding between Council and the community, enhances the quality of outcomes and delivers an increased sense of ownership.“

Download the awards entry >>>>

For further information about this entry contact: Alastair Wells alastair.Wells@fndc.govt.nz

South Waikato District Council     
Tokoroa Warm Homes Clean Air Project>>>>

"During winter in Tokoroa and Putaruru poor air quality affects health. The leading cause is domestic heating (fires), especially when wet wood is burnt.  The largest health effect is the loss of life-years as a result of premature mortality, followed by ‘restricted activity days’, and ‘chronic bronchitis’.  A significant effort was needed to change attitudes and behaviour in a community built around the timber industry with ample firewood available and a housing stock in Tokoroa built pre 1977 and uninsulated.   The key aspect of the project was to promote better home heating. “

  • Download the awards entry >>>>
  • Download a copy of the Tokoroa Warm Homes Clean Air Strategy >>>>
  • For further information about this entry contact:

    Roger Fisher  Roger.Fisher@southwaikato.govt.nz

Porirua City Council

Getting from Talk to Action

"Community Outcome setting and monitoring is required by the Local Government Act 2002. Porirua City Council decided to go the extra mile and formed strategic partnerships with central government and community agencies to create a balanced “snapshot in time” document - the Porirua City Wellbeing – Community Outcomes Monitoring Report 2007. The report has been used as a reference for government & community agencies reporting on the Wellington region and at a national level on a number of different topics. It will also assist with direct comparison between similar sized councils, assisting in the establishment of useful benchmarks for the future."

  • Download the awards entry >>>>
  • Download a range of material developed as part of the project
  • Monitoring City Wellbeing Report >>>>
  • City Wellbeing Report Glossary of Terms >>>>
  • PCC Report Card Outcome 1 Economy & Employment >>>>
  • PCC Report Card Outcome 2 Health & Housing >>>>
  • PCC Report Card Outcome 3 Education & Training >>>>
  • PCC Report Card Outcome 4 Natural & Physical Environment >>>>
  • PCC Report Card Outcome 5 Young People  >>>>
  • PCC Report Card Outcome 6 City Life >>>>
  • PCC Report Card Outcome 7 Transport >>>>
  • PCC Report Card Outcome 8 Welcoming City >>>>
  • Advisory Group Information Sheet >>>>
  • For further information about this entry contact: Moira Lawler Mlawler@pcc.govt.nz  Manager Social and Economic Planning
South Waikato District Council
South Waikato Connect Youth

"Research undertaken over the last six years indicates a common thread: Youth have “nothing to do” in the District.  With that in mind, the major aim of the project is to provide an avenue for Youth to initiate, plan and host their own events while consulting and bringing together Youth across the South Waikato community.  The Youth Council forms part of Council’s commitment to a collaborative Youth Strategy for the District.   Youth participating in the project development benefited by learning decision making and transferable skills; experiencing leadership and networking and receiving mentoring support."
Christchurch City Council   
Christchurch Bus Priority Project: Showcasing Effective Stakeholder and Community Engagement

“There will be a 14% population increase in the Christchurch metropolitan area by the year 2021 -  traffic congestion will have grown by 160%.   It is vital that a range of transport measures are implemented to quickly and cleanly move large numbers of people around the city.  One approach is to encourage more people to use buses.  The Bus Priority Project was initiated as a part of the Public Passenger Transport Strategy, a joint strategy between the Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury.  There was a considerable amount of sensitivity around this project.  As a consequence it was decided that a considerable amount of effort needed to be applied to stakeholder and community engagement, communication and marketing if successful implementation was to occur.”  
Buller District Council
Vision 2010 Project  

"Buller Vision 2010 began three years ago when Council realised that to offer a high quality of life to residents we needed to develop a forward looking plan to upgrade sport, recreation and cultural facilities for our district. With a small rate-payer base, an innovative programme was required in order to facilities what are often considered as ‘non-essential’ infrastructure.  The council decided that community engagement was the best way to develop solutions. With community working groups in place for each major aspect of the Vision 2010 project, the projects have truly been driven by the community and have resulted in design and construction of a range of projects.  The high level of community input into the planning and design of these projects is the differentiating factor that will make our facilities a true reflection of our community."

  • Download the awards entry >>>>
  • For further information about this entry contact: Gary Murphy gary@bdc.govt.nz
Kawerau District
Council K-oper-8

"The aim was to cross sectional locally owned process to identify barriers to social wellbeing by involving everyone in the community.  Council noted that overcoming the barriers would involve everyone across all sections of the community.  The project was lead by a steering group made up of representatives across a range of sectors of the community."

Dunedin City Council 
Abandoned Vehicles

"Abandoned vehicles impact negatively on community safety, and are a financial burden on ratepayers. The number of derelict vehicles has escalated due to an increase of inexpensive Japanese imports and more stringent warrant of fitness requirements. In a one 12-month period alone, the Dunedin City Council received 1,288 abandoned vehicle complaints which resulted in the disposal of 650 vehicles at a cost to ratepayers of over $107,000.  While the Dunedin City Council provided a vehicle disposal facility at its landfills this service was rarely used.   The Dunedin City Council decided that a fresh approach was needed to resolve this issue. In November 2007 a one month amnesty was called. Owners of registered vehicles in need of disposal simply had to contact the Council and their vehicle would be removed and disposed of at no charge to them." 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 



The guidance modules published by the programme are designed to assist local authority managers gain assurance that their processes comply with legal obligations.  They are not a substitute for the seeking of professional legal advice and the exercise of sound judgement about when it is necessary to do so.