Section 7 Policies
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Section 7 Policies Introduction ............................................................................................298 Significance and Engagement Policy ....................................................299 Revenue and Financing Policy ..............................................................304 Treasury Management Policy ................................................................322 Development and Financial Contributions Policy ..................................359 Remission and Postponement of Rates Policies ...................................372 POLICIES 297 Introduction This section contains key Council policies related • Development and Financial Contributions • Remission and Postponement of Rates to our long-term planning, key financial matters Policy Policies and decision-making processes. The Development and Financial Contributions For some types of property and for people • Significance and Engagement Policy Policy explains how the New Plymouth District experiencing hardship the Council may remit Council will use development contributions rates, or postpone rates payments. This policy The Significance and Engagement Policy sets to recover from those persons undertaking describes under what circumstances this will out how the Council assesses the importance development a fair, equitable and proportionate occur. of a matter requiring a decision and how the portion of the total cost of capital expenditure community will be involved in the decision- necessary to service growth in the district. The full range of the Council’s policies can be making process based on this assessment. found at www.newplymouthnz.com. This policy helps us determine the right level of The Council may charge development public engagement and consultation for each contributions to fund network infrastructure issue the Council considers. (including roads and other transport, water, wastewater and stormwater collection and • Revenue and Financing Policy management), community infrastructure The Revenue and Financing Policy guides (including community centres or halls and how the Council funds its activities and why the land on which they will be situated, play it uses particular funding sources. It explains equipment located on a neighbourhood how each Council activity will be funded for reserve and public toilets) and reserves both operating and capital expenditure and (including acquisition and development of indicates which groups and/or individuals in land). the community the Council sees as receiving The policy also summarises the Council’s benefits from these activities. Financial Contributions Policy (FCP) which • Treasury Management Policy is a component of the New Plymouth District Plan. Under the FCP, developers are required The Treasury Management Policy guides to meet the full cost of on-site infrastructure the management of Council’s investments, demands of their developments. They will also borrowing and funding activities. The policy be required to meet a fair and reasonable cost provides a framework of policies, strategies of the off-site infrastructure works required. and monitoring procedures to help ensure active risk management and statutory compliance. 298 POLICIES New Plymouth District Council Long-Term Plan 2015-2025 Significance and Engagement Policy Purpose • An assessment of significance using the 7. The Council will consider the following matters matters to be considered as detailed in this when assessing the degree of significance of The purpose of this policy is to provide clarity to policy. an issue, proposal, decision or other matter: the New Plymouth District community on how they can expect to be engaged in New Plymouth • An assessment to determine the • The likely impact on, and consequences District Council’s decision-making processes. appropriate form and type of engagement for: using the Engagement Guide included in Policy Statements this policy. - The present and future interests of the district and the community, recognising 1. Community engagement is important to • Council officer or other professional advice the relationship of Mäori and their enable participation in decision making and on significance and engagement. culture and traditions with their ancestral to understand the views and preferences of • Council consideration and final decision- land, water, sites, waahi tapu, valued people who are likely to be affected by or making on the level of significance and the flora and fauna and other taonga. interested in an issue, proposal, decision or appropriate form and type of engagement. other matter. - Any persons who are likely to be Advice from Council officers will, in normal particularly affected by, or interested in, 2. New Plymouth District Council (the Council) circumstances, come via the Council report the issue, proposal, decision, or matter. considers issues, proposals, decisions, or format which alerts elected members to the - The ability of the Council to meet its other matters that are of varying levels of impacts and consequences of the issue, statutory purpose now and in the future. significance. proposal, decision or other matter and the proposed form and type of engagement. - The ability of the Council to meet 3. The significance of an issue, proposal, its level of service as stated in the decision or other matter and the appropriate 5. Generally, the greater the significance of an Council’s Long-Term Plan (LTP). level of engagement will be determined issue, proposal, decision or other matter, by Council officers at an early stage of the more detailed the decision-making - The financial costs on the community the decision-making process. Where the process must be and the greater the need for and the Council. significance level is unclear, Council officers engagement. • The degree to which the issue, proposal, will recommend options regarding appropriate decision or other matter is reversible. levels and techniques for engagement. 6. The Council considers significance on a scale that ranges from issues, proposals, decisions, • How the issue, proposal, decision or 4. The following procedure will be used to or other matters of some importance to those other matter aligns with historical Council determine the significance of an issue, which are critical. decisions and whether the matter has proposal, decision or other matter and the Significance previously generated wide public interest appropriate level of engagement: within the district. • Identification of an issue, proposal, decision 8. If an issue, proposal, decision or other matter or other matter requiring a Council decision. has impacts and consequences for several of Some Significant Critical the above considerations it is likely to have a importance higher level of significance. New Plymouth District Council Long-Term Plan 2015-2025 POLICIES 299 Significance and Engagement Policy 9. Where an issue, proposal, decision or other 14. For all other matters requiring a decision by • Stakeholder involvement. matter has been determined to be significant the Council, the level and type of engagement • Stakeholder demographics. or critical in accordance with this policy, the will be determined on a case by case basis Council will ensure the appropriate level to ensure the most appropriate engagement • Community awareness and history of the and form of engagement is undertaken. The is used to meet the needs of a particular matter. Council will decide on the level of engagement matter. The Council will decide on the level of • Financial implications and constraints. by considering the Engagement Guide in engagement by considering the Engagement Schedule 1. Guide in Schedule 1. The Engagement Guide • Timing of the engagement in relation to includes examples of the types of engagement other engagement and activities. 10. As a minimum level of engagement, the that can be used and also provides information Council will ‘inform’ the community on all 19. There may be situations when engagement on when the community can expect to be may be impractical, these include but are not issues, proposals, or other matters requiring a engaged. decision by the Council. limited to: 15. The Council is committed to providing 11. Different levels of engagement may be • An issue, proposal, decision or other matter opportunities for Mäori to contribute to its that is not significant required for different stages of the decision- decision-making processes in a meaningful making process for an issue, proposal, way. The engagement techniques used will • The Council considers that it has sufficient decision or other matter. depend on the nature and/ or significance of existing and up to date information to reflect the decision. the community’s interests on the matter. 12. The Council is required by several pieces of legislation to carry out consultation. Some 16. Memorandum of Understandings, Joint 20. The LGA requires this policy to list the pieces of legislation require the special Management Agreements, or other Council’s strategic assets as defined in section consultative procedure (as described in section agreements may be used to guide meaningful 5 of the LGA. The Council’s strategic assets 83 of the Local Government Act 2002 (LGA)) engagement with Mäori. are listed in Schedule 2 of this policy. to be used for consultation on certain matters. Further information on when the Council will 17. The Council will engage with Mäori where any Schedule 1: Engagement guide use the special consultative procedure is matter involves a significant decision