LTP guidance updated for the last reform legislation

In the waning days of the last Parliament, five pieces of legislation giving effect to water and resource management reforms were enacted. In response we have updated the LTP guidance that you can find in our LGSectorGoodToolkit.

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10:43 AM, 20 September 2023

Local Play Workforce Project – Councils: Cohort Two underway

Sport New Zealand is excited to announce that Cohort Two of the 'Local Play Workforce Project – Councils' has now been finalised – with six more Local Play Advocates recently appointed inside the following councils: Invercargill, Selwyn, Waimakariri, Central Hawke’s Bay, Whanganui, and Wellington.

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10:27 AM, 13 September 2023

A Pacific lens on deliberative and participatory democracy

The Pacific Urban Forum recently took place in Fiji's capital city Suva. As this article illustrates, faced with the urgent need to react to climate change, communities across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean) are forging ahead with their own solutions involving participatory democracy – solutions which could inform our own responses in Aotearoa New Zealand. This article was written by Seán Mahoney, Taituarā General Manger Sector Performance. Seán attended the Pacific Urban Forum with support from the PacificTA programme.

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1:59 PM, 12 September 2023

Recent changes to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Community Participation) Amendment Act 2023 (the Amendment Act) makes it easier for communities to have a say on alcohol regulation in their area, by making targeted changes to the alcohol licensing process in the Act.

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3:58 PM, 11 September 2023

Final freedom camping regulations released

Freedom camping reform has moved a step closer to implementation with the release of final regulations, Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers (Self-Contained Vehicles) Regulations 2023. These regulations have been made under the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023, and are set to come into force from 7 December this year.

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2:49 PM, 31 August 2023

Business Connect provides service to all territorial authorities for Rugby World Cup alcohol licence applications

The Government has legislation in place which allows eligible on-licence and club-licence premises to extend their trading hours using a streamlined process when televising live Rugby World Cup matches from France.

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2:05 PM, 28 August 2023

Local elections changes move through Parliament

This morning (24 August 2023) the Local Government Electoral Bill had its third reading in Parliament which means it will be passed into law in the next week or so.

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12:30 AM, 24 August 2023

Select Committee reports back on Regulation of Public Transport Amendment Bill

Parliament's Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Land Transport Management (Regulation of Public Transport) Amendment Bill which proposes to amend the Act to implement the principles of the Sustainable Public Transport Framework thereby replacing the Public Transport Operating Model.

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3:45 PM, 7 August 2023

Building a compendium of wellbeing resources

Taituarā has begun building a resource and reference point to support councils in the promotion of the wellbeing of their communities.

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2:40 PM, 7 August 2023

Taituarā appoints new Chief Executive

We are pleased to advise you that the Taituarā Executive has completed the process of recruiting a new Chief Executive and are now delighted to announce the appointment of Suzanne Boyd.

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4:10 PM, 3 August 2023

LIMS legislation passes third reading

The Local Government Official Information and Meetings Amendment Bill has passed its third reading. Amongst other things, the bill improves national hazard information provided in LIMs (land information memoranda).

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2:17 PM, 26 July 2023

Guidance on property sales, acquisitions, and leases

Following a significant legal review by Simpson Grierson, our LGSectorGoodToolkit module was updated in July 2023. Our thanks also to the Local Authority Property Association for its expert advice in reviewing this module. The changes to the include a full review and updates in relation to case law, legislative references, and sector best practice.

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11:09 AM, 21 July 2023

Rex Capil reports back on local government in British Columbia

Rex Capil is General Manager Community Lifestyle Services at Gore District Council. Rex recently went on an Overseas Manager Exchange to Canada thanks to collaboration with our Canadian partner organisation Local Government Management Association (LGMA) and our sponsor Marsh. Rex has prepared a fulsome report on multiple aspects of how local government operates in British Columbia.

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4:07 PM, 19 July 2023

Towards a digital future for resource management reform

The new resource management bills are expected to pass into law before the general election in October. The Ministry for the Environment is looking into opportunities to make the transition and implementation of the reforms more efficient and effective through digital technologies with a view to improving citizen participation. Taituarā is working alongside to help this process.

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4:56 PM, 12 July 2023

Reporting back on our sister councils in New South Wales

Bronda Smith is currently Finance Consultant at Carterton District Council, having previously worked in a whole range of roles and councils. Bronda recently took up the opportunity for a belated trip to a number of New South Wales councils as part of an Overseas Manager Exchange she won in 2019. She reports back on community connection, community transformation, and climate change planning across the ditch.

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10:50 AM, 11 July 2023

Taituarā called on Water Services Entities Amendment Bill

On 10 July 2023 our Chief Advisor, Raymond Horan appeared before the Governance and Administration Committee. This was a slightly unusual case in that it was the Select Committee itself that initiated the request. As the video recording shows, the Committee wanted to talk through proposals for national pay scales for the water entities, establishment dates, as well as development contributions.

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9:36 AM, 11 July 2023

Thank you David for your huge contribution to our work

We farewell David Ward, Chair of our Democracy and Participation Reference Group and Chief Executive of Selwyn District Council, at the end of June. David is retiring after many years in the local government sector and 15 years chairing our Reference Groups. His leadership has been greatly appreciated by Taituarā and the wider sector.

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10:56 AM, 28 June 2023

Resource management bills ready for Second Reading

Parliament's Environment Committee has released reports on the two resource management bills set to replace the RMA. We would like to share our own high-level analysis, and invite you to a webinar 'What happened to the RMA?' on 26 July 2023 to provide you with a full analysis.

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9:36 AM, 28 June 2023

Future for Local Government final report launch speech

Our Vice President elect Monique Davidson spoke at the Future for Local Government final report launch event on 21 June 2023 at the Wharewaka Function Centre in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. We would like to share Monique's speech and a recording of the launch for those who missed it.

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11:36 AM, 27 June 2023

New South Wales Overseas Manager Exchange Conference report

Karel Boakes is a Regulatory Manager at Manawatū District Council. As part of the Overseas Manager Exchange that she won in 2020, Karel has attended the annual conference of one of our sister organisations. In this article Karel reports back from the 2023 Local Government Professionals Australia New South Wales conference.

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3:35 PM, 26 June 2023

Taituarā welcomes the final Future for Local Government report

Taituarā — Local Government Professionals Aotearoa welcomes the Future for Local Government Review Panel’s final report 'He piki tūranga, he piki kōkutu'.

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2:43 PM, 20 June 2023

Allen + Clarke 2023 Pro Bono Programme

Allen + Clarke is a company that provides wide-ranging policy and regulatory services "to mobilise passionate and capable people to tackle the challenges facing our society." They are offering 250 hours of their time for projects supporting councils and community organisations to deliver wellbeing.

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12:39 AM, 14 June 2023

2023 Taituarā Gala Dinner a night to remember

The 2023 Taituarā Gala Dinner took place on 8 June 2023. Thank you for all those who supported the evening by taking part by attending and/or contributing projects to the 2023 LGFA Taituarā Local Government Excellence Awards. We are delighted to now share the full details of the awards delivered as well photographs taken during the evening.

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9:26 AM, 9 June 2023

Overall winner of the top award in the 2023 LGFA Taituarā Excellence Awards® named

The winner of the top award in the 2023 LGFA Taituarā Excellence Awards® – the Supreme Award – is Hutt City Council for its 'Takai Here Tāngata' project. Christchurch City Council has also been highly commended for its 'Christchurch City Information Network (CCIN) – Early Fire Detection Sensor Network' project.

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8:41 PM, 7 June 2023

Horowhenua local government professional recognised as 2023 Emerging Leader of the Year

This year's Emerging Leader of the Year is Lauren Baddock who is District Plan Lead at Horowhenua District Council. Lauren was presented with the award by Taituarā President Sanchia Jacobs during the 2023 Taituarā Gala Dinner in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington.

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8:41 PM, 7 June 2023