Community Outcomes Consultation
Under Section 91 of the Local Government Act, every council is required to carry out a process to identify community outcomes. The resulting statements are intended to guide the priorities of the council and other organisations and ultimately promote better co-ordination of community resources.
The Act requires local authorities to carry out a process to re-identify community outcomes not less than once every six years. This means councils should be starting to plan towards consultation processes for 2011/12 or earlier. Consideration should be given to how the consultation process fits with that of neighbouring councils and also how it might relate to councils' Section 92 monitoring role.
An often cited quote is that "we measure what we value, and we value what we measure". Community outcomes consultation could be used to discuss whether the 'right' indicators are being monitored and reported.
Through his experience in private consulting and the local government sector, APR Consultants' Strategic Planning Manager Paul Killerby has experience using a wide range of community participation and research methods. Paul's approach is to ensure key stakeholders have input to the process at an early stage, and that consultation methods are cost effective and 'fit for purpose'.
Methods include:
- Steering group facilitation.
- Stakeholder workshops.
- Community focus groups.
- Community surveys including web-based surveys.
- Public meetings.
- Public communication strategies.
- Computerised sorting of results from large-scale consultations (3000+).
APR Consultants would be pleased to discuss your council's requirements. On the basis of these discussions, APR would prepare a proposal and fee for consideration.
To discuss your requirements, contact paul.killerby@apr.co.nz or phone 0-7-349 8327.
Further information:
Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector: "Good Practice Participate website"
Killerby, P. and Thomas, M. (2005) ""Participation in practice: Hamilton Community Outcomes Consultation" - NZ Local Government Magazine, December 2005.
Killerby, P. (2001) "Social capital, participation and sustainable development: Recent examples of inclusive consultation in New Zealand" - presented at the International Association for Community Development (IACD) conference, Rotorua, New Zealand.
