20 September 2019

Media: Rotorua Daily Post

Topic: The role of councils

Enquiry

I am working on a feature centred on the role of local councils and how that role has changed to address social issues.

Can you please provide an attributed response to the following:

1. How has RLC financially supported initiatives addressing affordable homes, homelessness, deprivation, employment and income, family violence (wellbeings identified in the pre-election report) and what are those initiatives?
2. How has RLC found other solutions/avenues to support initiatives targeting the above issues without having to contribute financially.

Can I please also be provided with comment on whether the council believes the general public understands the role of a local council and how RLC works to ensure its residents know what issues fall under the council's jurisdiction.

Response

See below response to your enquiry but first, please note for your understanding and as background:

Issues you highlighted from the pre-election report (deprivation, community safety, housing, employment and income) are not wellbeings as you've described your question. They are key social issues expected to drive and influence future decision-making, along with the focus on wellbeing.

The wellbeings are social, environmental, economic and cultural wellbeing.

The current government has this year reinstated these four aspects of community wellbeing in the Local Government Act, expecting local authorities "to play a broad role in promoting the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of their communities, taking a sustainable development approach".

Councils have always had the ability (even when the wellbeings were removed from the Act in 2012) to fund or deliver services/initiatives that address social issues as part of local government's purpose "to enable democratic decision-making and action by, and on behalf of, communities" but the amendment to the Local Government Act places more focus on this.

If you look at the 2030 vision and goals (which I've included at the bottom for your easy reference) you'll see that social and wellbeing outcomes are actually at the heart of these.

Hope the above helps. Below is the response to your enquiry including comment from CE Geoff Williams and information about some of the work/initiatives council has done/is undertaking that contributes to addressing social issues and wellbeing in general. Please note, it's not a complete list.

From Rotorua Lakes Council Chief Executive Geoff Williams:

"The Government has communicated an expectation that councils will look to understand the issues facing communities and will develop, alongside the Central Government sector as a whole, solutions or interventions to address those.

"In the pre-election report I have highlighted what we currently see as being key, significant challenges facing our community within the wellbeings domain.

"In response to the new expectations by Central Government of local government, what we are doing at the moment is working with Central Government agencies to look at a more integrated response to social challenges in our district.

"As an example, council is working with the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Housing New Zealand on the development of a long-term housing plan for Rotorua.

"At the same time, in November we are looking to bring the regional leads of Central Government agencies, along with the mayors, committee chairs and chief executives of councils across the region together to look at how the broader local and Central Government sector can more effectively work together. We are inviting the Minister of State Services and the Minister of Local Government to attend to communicate their expectations.

"While the legislative changes bring new expectations around a more integrated and substantive collective response, that's not to say Council is not already actively working to address social issues, as is expected by the community." [See some examples of this below]

Some examples of what council has done/is doing that relate to wellbeing/social outcomes:

• Te Aka Mauri, the Rotorua library and child health hub, a collaboration between Council and Lakes District Health Board to co-locate child health services in a child and family friendly environment that nurtures learning and wellbeing.
• Child equity programme: A partnership with Sunset Primary School and its community to ensure all children have equal access to activities and facilities that can have a life-changing lone-term impact. Council has facilitated access to the likes of swim programmes, school holiday programmes, sport and music and other extra-curriculum activities and has facilitated working bees at the school.
• Council's community grants support work and initiatives that meet community needs and align to the Rotorua 2030 goals (which are very much about community wellbeing). [more HERE about the grants and see below the 2030 goals]
• Council has been part of a local collective of organisations, government agencies and service providers collaborating to find solutions to homelessness and has also engaged directly with the homeless and provided access to facilities like showers and toilets. Council's primary focus has been to work collaboratively with organisations that have expertise in this area to deliver long-term solutions, including the Ministry of Social Development and providers involved in the Housing First programme.
• Council obviously has a regulatory role to play in terms of housing and the planning team works closely with developers and social housing providers to ensure as smooth a process as possible in order to enable more housing to occur. Changes to the District Plan, such as the Pukehangi Heights Plan Change, are intended to enable housing development to occur more quickly and developers are encouraged to consider the likes of affordable housing.
• Healthy Homes initiative - Council contracts Sustainability Options to provide an independent service which any local householder can access, providing advice regarding how to make homes energy efficient, warm, dry and generally healthy and linking people with other available services such as Curtain Bank or health services.
• Council provides some pensioner housing and undertook extensive work to try and secure a partnership with an external provider who could access funds to invest in more pensioner housing and provide or facilitate wrap-around services. Council was unable to find such a partner and is considering options for provision of wrap-around services for its tenants.
• Regarding community safety, Council funds and is a partner in road safety campaigns/initiatives and youth driver training, undertakes CYPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) work in parks and reserves, has a Safe City Guardians team to engage with people in the inner city and deter anti-social and criminal behavior, has partnered with the Police to improve safety in the inner city, has extended CCTV monitoring of the CBD and has funding security staff to assist with inner city safety patrols.
• Neighbourhood reinvigoration projects have been undertaken in partnership with communities and groups in various parts of the district including Ngapuna, Koutu, Mamaku, the city's eastern suburbs, Western Heights and currently Fordlands. Projects have included the likes of playground upgrades, road safety measures, community clean-ups, establishing community gardens and working with schools. Council has contributed funding, support and other resources for these projects.
• Civil Defence staff work with local communities and iwi on community resilience plans which will enable them to support their communities in case of an emergency. Council also undertakes civil defence emergency education and awareness.
• Council funds its CCO Rotorua Economic Development (operating as Destination Rotorua) to promote Rotorua as a place to visit, live, do business and invest and to identify opportunities for new businesses and work with prospective new businesses to grow the district's economy base. Council maintains relationships with local youth services providers, Toi Ohomai, local business leaders, Central Government and its ministers and agencies and local education sector leaders to encourage alignment of priorities related to training and employment opportunities.Rotorua 2030 goals:
• A resilient community ... He hāpori pumanawa. Inclusive, liveable and safe neighbourhoods give us a sense of place; and confidence to be involved and connected.
• Homes that match needs ... Kāinga noho kainga haumaru. Quality, affordable homes are safe and warm, and available to meet everyone's needs
• Outstanding places to play ... Papa whakatipu. Recreation opportunities are part of our lifestyle; connecting us, transporting us and surrounding us.
• Vibrant city heart ... Waahi pumanawa. Our inviting and thriving inner city reflects our unique heritage and lakeside location
• Business innovation and prosperity ... Whakawhanake pākihi. We boast a diverse and sustainable economy energised by our natural resources and innovative people
• Employment choices ... He huarahi hōu. We are a prosperous connected community; growing our education, training and employment opportunities.
• Enhanced environment ... Tiakana to taiao. We are known globally for our clean, natural environment, air quality and healthy lakes