Roles & Responsibilities of Community Boards

The recommendations formally adopted at the 22 June 2022 meeting are set out below under the four main headings: Leadership and Decision Making, Relationships, Planning, and Support.

These recommendations set the framework for our three Community Boards following the 2022 elections and continue to to the 2025-2028 triennium.

Leadership and Decision Making

Community Boards have specific roles to fulfill in the Local Government Structure. In performing this role, Community Boards will be recognised as taking local leadership, whilst Council takes leadership of District-wide matters. Leadership and the importance of decision-making in the Community Board area was seen as important function for the Community Boards.

The following are the recommendations adopted for Leadership and Decision Making:

That Community Boards should be the natural first place for the Community to turn to.
Community Boards will be recognised as taking local leadership whilst Council takes leadership of District-wide matters; That Community Boards are set up for success to assume leadership within their communities;
That Bylaws have the correct level of local input and (without conflict) are able to reflect local needs and wishes;
That disposals of assets have the correct level of local input, and are able to reflect local needs and wishes;
That community funding outside of policy criteria (unless legislation requires otherwise) sit with the Community Boards;
That new plantings – parks and reserves - (and not just removals) be approved by Community Boards in conjunction with council officers;
That Community Boards be informed of new liquor and gambling licences;
That Community Boards are fully informed on events in their area, and event organisers are encouraged to engage with the Community Board at the earliest opportunity;
That Community Board Chairs have a great role in the local community and are officially involved in important events in their Community Board area;
That the Chair (or representative) of Community Boards may be present at Council meetings, and have speaking rights during deputations, for items that have an affect or an importance for that Community Board area; and
That Community Board Members be invited to all Council workshops. Note: the only exception to this is where the Workshop Chair considers the topic should exclude them.

Relationships

The importance of relationships has been discussed with full agreement that this will underpin future success. The relationship between the Community Boards, community, iwi, Council officers, and Council will drive the success of the Community Boards.

The following are the recommendations adopted for Relationships:

That the model going forward will be one of collaboration in decision-making in conjunction with Council officers and Council;
That Community Boards will work collaboratively with the community, council officers and Councillors, to build strong relationship and partnerships, and make decisions in conjunction with staff expertise;
That the Chair of Community Boards may be present at Council meetings, and have speaking rights during deputations, for items that have an affect or an importance for that Community Board area;
That Community Boards have a strong role in representing and advocating for their communities on current issues;
That the Mayor consults with Community Boards on the Councillor appointed to the Community Board; and
That the key principle for Community Boards is to respond locally and cooperatively with Iwi, Council officers, Council, and community groups to find solutions.

Planning

The role of planning is about building the community and placemaking (which is about making places, and a community where people want to live and work). Community Boards understand their communities and are involved in the “on the ground” issues that can enhance or compromise wellbeing. Community Plans can take on many forms (i.e., spatial plans, village plans, local plans) and are not limited to the above.

The following are the recommendations adopted for Planning:

That the primary role will be place-making and the wellbeing of communities;
That the purpose of the future Community Boards will be to deliver on prioritised Community Plans (in what ever form they take); and
That Community Boards will work on local plans (that input into Annual / Long Term Plan budgets and District Plans) with communities to agree and prioritise needs and future actions.

Support

Support comes in the form of both human and other resources.

The following are the adopted recommendations for Support:

That Council has a continuous process for improvements in the delivery of reports and provision of information to Community Boards, and that the process is supported with the right resources, including IT resources;
That budgets align with the responsibilities. Budgets and funding for delegations, aspirations, priorities, and plans would remain within the current structure of long-term planning. Council budgets at a District-wide level include allocations for Town Revitalisation (Community Plans etc.) and are reviewed each Long-Term Plan, thus allowing for a dynamic response to community plans, and prioritisation of those plans by Community Boards;
That by using the budget setting process of Council, Community Boards can prioritise their aspirations, actions and projects from their community plans, and other plans as developed. These will feed into the overall budgeting processes of Council allowing Council to make the final budget allocations within the Community Board areas for projects in each Long Term Plan year, and in Annual Plan years as necessary; and
That structures will be worked through in the next triennium.

Existing Delegations

The existing delegations remain and are now to be in conjunction with staff:

Co-ordinating rural reserves and hall committees;
Input into the development of Council’s Long Term Plan;
Approved budget for the following activities in the area:

Footpaths programme;
Parks and Reserves discretionary spend; and
Public information signage.

Also approve:

Temporary road closures for events (subject to administrative imperatives);
Street names;
Parades, collections and special uses of the roads;
Changes to speed restrictions on local roads (subject to NZTA rules); and
Road closures