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Research Project
Introduction to the Research Project
Objectives and Milestones
Introduction to the Research Project
Local Futures is a research project focused on enhancing strategic policy and planning performance and capability in New Zealand local government.
Local Futures will design an evaluative framework against which to benchmark existing strategic planning practice and assess a local authority's capability and performance. A focal point will be the processes and activities surrounding the preparation and implementation of Long Term Council Community Plans (LTCCPs), which present the community's aspirations in terms of economic, social, environmental and cultural outcomes.
The team will also look beyond planning processes to broader issues surrounding strategic decision making, and when and how it occurs. As the research programme progresses, the group will develop approaches and recommendations for enhancing the strategic performance and capability of councils.
The research team will be looking for ways to achieve greater synergies and alignment across strategic planning processes at the local, regional and national levels. Another aspect to be examined is possible avenues for achieving greater responsiveness and engagement by Maori and other community groups, sectors and stakeholders in strategic planning processes.
The researchers will share their findings through seminars, publication, and other opportunities to engage with interested individuals and groups.
Objectives and Milestones
The research project has four linked objectives. The focus of activity will shift from objective 1 to 4 over the life of the project (from 2004 - 2008).
Objective 1
To identify and document the purpose, context and effectiveness of local
government policy and planning.
- A discussion of the theoretical framework, linking policy and planning processes to desired outcomes, based on both New Zealand and international literature and experience.
- Identification of the critical success factors in policy and planning based on literature and on investigation of actual experience in New Zealand.
- Identification of the way in which local strategic policy and planning links to strategies within central government and the private sector.
- Development of an instrument for comparative evaluation of the performance of local government policy and planning processes and diagnosis of factors influencing the quality of performance.
Objective 2
To identify a set of critical success factors for effective local government
policy and planning
- Local authorities will have the opportunity to share experiences and to assist the researchers to identify key factors and capabilities required to ensure successful policy and planning outcomes.
- The clear identification of critical success factors in strategic policy and planning provides local authorities with the information to undertake self-assessment of their planning effectiveness and to identify areas for improvement.
- Communication of research findings, including examples of good practice across the sector will provide opportunities for cross-jurisdictional learning and performance improvement.
Objective 3
The focus in this phase will be on specific aspects of local government
policy and planning that are agreed to be critical to effective performance.
- Enhanced effective performance of policy planning by local authorities by informing the sector of good practice re organizing for planning and policy, capabilities required.
- Enhanced input by stakeholder groups into planning and policy through identification of good consultation practice.
- Improved delivery of planning and policy through informing central and local government of options for improved alignment between their planning and policy efforts.
Objective 4
This stage of the project will focus on disseminating information and
results from the research with a view to improving practice. The objective
will include re-evaluation of strategic planning experiences of 15 councils. The focus is on assessing changes to practice and the degree to which strategic planning performance and capability has been improved. Three good practice guides will be prepared on: (1) strategic tools; (2) strategic planning practices, performance and capability; (3) consultation.