Community Plan 2009-2019

The Council acknowledges the six iwi that are tangata whenua of the district:

• Ngāti Maniapoto.
• Ngāti Maru.
• Ngāti Mutunga.
• Ngāti Tama.
• Taranaki.
• Te ātiawa.

As well as these six iwi, there are 11 recognised hapū within New Plymouth District:

• Hapū o Poutama.
• Manukorihi.
• Ngā Mahanga.
• Ngāti Tairi.
• Ngāti Rahiri.
• Ngāti Tawhirikura.
• Ngāti Te Whiti.
• Ngāti Tuparikino.
• Otaraua.
• Pukerangiora.
• Puketapu.

The Council engages with Māori throughout all of its day to day operations, but also has a number of commitments at a strategic level which support the development of Māori capacity to participate more fully and effectively in the decision-making processes of the Council.

However, there are ways in which the Council can improve its relationships with Māori to enable more participation and these are set out below. Return to top

Staff resources

Underpinning the Council's commitment to the effective engagement of Māori in decision making is the provision of dedicated staff and other resources to support, advocate on behalf of and guide the Council's interactions with Māori. The aim is to increase Māori influence in the Council and foster greater understanding of Māori issues.

Many staff, particularly within the Customer and Regulatory Services, Iwi Relationships, Community Development, Corporate Policy and Strategy and Puke Ariki teams consult with tangata whenua as part of their day to day work.

Policy and Strategy

The Council's Bicultural Policy has been reviewed and is being replaced with a new Building Māori Capacity Policy. This policy will incorporate some aspects of the old Bicultural Policy and incorporate aspects which support the engagement and participation of Māori into decision making processes of the Council as outlined in the Local Government Act 2002.

The new policy will outline the Council's commitment to:

• Being culturally sensitive to all people and communities within the district.
• According specific recognition to the tangata whenua of the district.
• Adhering to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
• Acting with goodwill towards establishing and maintaining an effective and meaningful partnership with the tangata whenua of the district.
• Building capacity with NPDC managers and staff to instill confidence and understanding when engaging with the Māori community.
• Building capacity within tangata whenua to promote more participation in decision making.

Committees and Forums

Iwi Forum

The Iwi Forum is an opportunity for any tangata whenua member to raise issues, gain information about and/or discuss any business involving the Council. It is not an official Council committee that meets on the six-weekly Council meeting round; instead, it is a forum for discussion to occur and as such it is open to anyone who wishes to attend and discuss matters. It is also a place to talk about iwi issues thoroughly and coordinate a consensus decision and approach, prior to any issues being raised with the Iwi Liaison Subcommittee. The forum therefore provides opportunities for tangata whenua to form a united front for effective advocacy to the Iwi Liaison Subcommittee. It is also an information-sharing forum where the workings of the Council can be explained.

Iwi Liaison Subcommittee

This subcommittee is an official committee of the Council and comprises six councillors and 10 tangata whenua representatives. The subcommittee meets six-weekly as part of the meeting cycle and decision making processes of the Council.

The purpose of the subcommittee is:

• To enable input from iwi and hapū into the Council processes.
• To investigate and report to the Council on any issues the subcommittee considers necessary that may have an implication for iwi/hapū.
• To implement and administer the marae grants scheme.
• To administer the Naming of Roads Policy P06-006 in respect to tangata whenua input.

Recommendations from the Iwi Forum can also be taken through the Iwi Liaison Subcommittee for further follow-up and to ensure the issue is raised with either the appropriate standing committee of the Council or Council officers.

Tangata whenua representatives can be appointed to a subcommittee if the Council, a standing committee or subcommittee decides a representative is required. Nominations must have hapū or iwi support, and are passed to the Iwi Liaison Subcommittee for nominations to be considered and recommendations to be made to the parent subcommittee for its approval.Return to top

Other policies, liaison, agreements or memoranda with Maori

Puke Ariki Kaumātua Committee

Te Kaumātua Kaunihera o ngā Whare Taonga o Puke Ariki was established in 2004. This committee is a group of kaumātua from around Taranaki who advise Puke Ariki on issues pertaining to Māori, the taonga Māori collection and tikanga. Te Kaumātua Kaunihera o ngā Whare Taonga o Puke Ariki is open to all kaumātua of Taranaki and meets monthly.

Puke Ariki Collections Policy

As part of the Council's Puke Ariki Collections Policy, Puke Ariki will always endeavour to consult with the appropriate Māori community when a decision is to be made regarding a particular taonga or group of taonga. This policy will be regularly reviewed and updated and the tangata whenua of Taranaki will be consulted when the policy is reviewed.

Management of reserve lands

The Te Rewa Rewa Management Committee (TRRMC), comprising of trustees from Ngāti Tawhirikura A Hapū Trust and Council managers has been established as a partnership to meet the aims and aspirations of the hapū and the Council with regard to the Te Rewa Rewa Reserve. TRRMC has established a Strategic Vision, a Strategic Intent and a set of Guiding Principles as the foundation documents for the group. A Management Plan is being developed by the committee to provide for the ongoing day-to-day management of the reserve and to plan for public access via the new pedestrian bridge over the Waiwhakaiho River and walkway extension. The committee is resourced by the Council.

Consultation with Māori

The Council's Draft Consultation Policy sets out the duty of the Council to consult with tangata whenua on any issue that is likely to affect them, or matter where they have an interest. As part of the Council's operations, consultation is undertaken on a regular basis in the following key (but not exclusive) areas: Community Plan, District Plan, Coastal Strategy, Annual Plan, planning and subdivision processes, roading, heritage, walkways and reserves. Consultations usually take place in the form of hui with district iwi and hapū  or their representatives.

Funding support

The Council recognises that Māori ability to take part in the decision-making process is in part constrained by funding, particularly with regards to resource management issues, where access to expert or scientific advice or legal opinion is a costly and complex exercise. In acknowledgment of these costs, funds are made available to support tangata whenua engagement in resource management issues. In the 2004-2014 Community Plan the Council agreed to allocate $20,000 per annum to help iwi and hapū  purchase a range of professional services that would support their ability to participate in resource consent and District Plan consultation.

The range of services that are eligible for funding include:

• Legal.
• Engineering.
• Cultural.
• Valuation services.
• Monitoring and scientific services.

The Customer and Regulatory Services and the Iwi Relationships teams are currently looking at how the fund can be used to increase the ability of tangata whenua to work with the Council, landowners and developers to protect waahi tapu.

Resources are also made available to support the maintenance of marae through a Marae Grants Policy and a Heritage Protection Fund.

Marae Development Plans

A Marae Development Plan is an asset/strategic plan for marae which will support the iwi/hapū to plan for the protection and development of their marae now and into the future. This project is funded jointly by Council and Te Puni Kokiri, with nine of the ten district marae participating. Stage One of the project has been completed with Stage Two currently underway, and it is expected the project will be concluded by the end of 2009. These plans, which include conceptual drawings for future marae development, will then help the iwi/hapū/marae to access external funds to support marae development from both the Council and other funding bodies.

Treaty settlements

Two iwi within New Plymouth District, Ngāti Tama and Ngāti Mutunga, have settled their Treaty of Waitangi claims with the Crown. Te ātiawa has entered into a heads of agreement with the Crown and is working towards a deed of settlement, while Ngāti Maru and Taranaki iwi are currently investigating their claims.

The settlement legislation highlights certain areas as places where an iwi has a statutory interest and obligates the Council to consider those interests and any opportunities for that iwi to be involved when notifying resource consents in those areas, and to include information about those statutory areas in its District Plan.

Settlement of the treaty claims provides opportunities for meaningful participation of local iwi in all aspects of community decision making, and the Iwi Relationships Team aims to work with iwi following settlement to develop a memorandum of understanding to guide the relationship. Return to top

Commitment to working collaboratively

The pursuit of cooperative working is clearly identified in the Local Government Act. The act states that the Council should collaborate and cooperate with other local authorities and bodies, as it considers appropriate to promote or achieve its priorities and outcomes and make efficient use of resources. In addition to its legislative obligations, the Council undertakes and encourages partnership working and collaboration for the following reasons:

• Many external organisations have the resources, skills and capability to deliver on aspects of the Community Outcomes.
• The achievement of Community Outcomes depends on the ability of organisations to cooperate and collaborate together.
• Community Outcomes are not single issue matters. An effect in one area can impact upon another, therefore an integrated approach to the issue is usually required.
• Collaboration provides opportunities for coordinated strategic planning and the sharing of resources and skills.
• Collaboration can yield greater gains for the community than if the Council or any organisation works alone.
• Opportunities to influence, lobby and engage politically are increased with collaboration.
• Monitoring the achievement of Community Outcomes can only be achieved by sharing data and relevant performance information.

The role of the Council

Apart from being a direct provider of a number of key services, the Council has other roles within the context of delivering the Community Outcomes. They include:

Service provider: Providing a range of services, as outlined in the Council activity section of this plan.

Regulator: Enforcing legislation and bylaws to promote well-being and develop educational programmes.

Funder: Funding activities in the most efficient manner through trusts, joint venture agreements or Council-controlled organisations.

Leadership: Providing civic and community leadership and acting in the best interests of the community.

Facilitator: Taking responsibility to lead and facilitate satisfactory outcomes by acting as a mediator.

Advocacy: Representing the community within the democratic mandate, at regional and national levels.

Educator: Providing information and guidance on a range of issues to encourage compliance with legislation and promote well-being.

Coordinator: Acting in a coordinating capacity and liaising between parties in the best interests of the district.

Commitment to working with other Councils

As part of the requirement set out in the Local Government Act 2002, councils have a duty to, not less than every six years, enter into a process that allows for the identification of community outcomes for the intermediate and long-term future of the district. This process allows communities and organisations to discuss and prioritise their desired outcomes in terms of the present and future social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of the community.

We are working with Taranaki Regional Council on public transport issues, which were raised in the early consultation phase.

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Commitment to working with individuals and organisations

The Community Outcomes which have been identified by the Taranaki region cover all aspects of well-being: economic, environmental, social and cultural. The Council recognises that it alone cannot address these issues and it is committed to working in partnership with a number of organisations across all sectors, at district, regional and national levels to deliver the outcomes.

The Future Taranaki Partnership is a regional partnership which was formed from a collaborative regional partnership of the four local authorities and comprises organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors.

The regional partnership comprises organisations which are working collaboratively to prepare a framework to progress work on the Community Outcomes.

The current members of the regional partnership (the Future Taranaki Facilitation Group) are:

• Taranaki District Health Board (Chair).
• Ministry of Social Development.
• New Plymouth District Council.
• New Plymouth Police.
• South Taranaki District Council.
• Stratford District Council.
• Taranaki Regional Council.
• Te Puni Kokiri.
• Venture Taranaki Trust.

In addition to providing a collaborative framework to secure the furtherance of the Community Outcomes, the partnership also, not less that once every three years reports on its progress towards those Community Outcomes. The third progress report on the Community Outcomes has just been released. For a copy of this report contact 06-759 6060 or view it on the Taranaki Regional Council's website. Section three (Community Outcomes) details the progress the partnership is making towards the achievement of the outcomes.

Examples of joint working

The Council is engaged in a variety of projects and programmes with a broad range of partners and stakeholders. The table below highlights some of the major stakeholders and gives examples of some of the current and proposed projects and programmes where the Council is participating in collaborative working.

Organisation	Examples of projects and programmes
Accident Compensation Corporation	Positive Ageing Strategy Healthy Homes Alcohol Strategy New Plymouth InjurySafe
Bishops Foundation Action Group	Delivery of training for community sector Information and Communications Technology Gateway Positive Ageing Strategy Marfell Community Development Project
Department of Conservation	Heritage Strategy Significant Natural Areas
Disability Resources Centre	Disability Strategy Positive Ageing Strategy
Education Taranaki	Economic Development Strategy Skills Strategy
Housing New Zealand Corporation	Marfell Housing Development Healthy Housing
Ministry of Social Development	Positive Ageing Strategy Alcohol Strategy Healthy Housing Disability Strategy Future Taranaki Facilitation Group Marfell Community Development Project Waitara Community Development Project
New Plymouth InjurySafe	Injury Prevention Programme Road Safe Taranaki WHO Safe Communities
New Zealand Fire Service	Healthy Housing Liquor Licensing
New Zealand Police	Future Taranaki Facilitation Group Police Liaison Working Party Closed Circuit Television WHO Safe Communities Licensing and Enforcement Alcohol Strategy New Plymouth InjurySafe Community Safety Strategy
Primary Health Organisation (Peak Health Taranaki, Tui Ora and Hauora)	Healthy Housing Healthy Eating Healthy Action (HEHA)
Positive Ageing Trust	Positive Ageing Policy Positive Ageing Strategy
Sport Taranaki	Regional Recreation and Physical Activity Strategy Healthy Eating Healthy Action (HEHA) Sport Codes Support and Advice
Taranaki Arts Festival Trust	Major Events Management of Event Venues WOMAD
Taranaki District Health Board	Future Taranaki Facilitation Group Healthy Eating Healthy Action (HEHA) New Plymouth InjurySafe Alcohol Strategy Disability Strategy Healthy Housing
Te Puni Kokiri	Future Taranaki Facilitation Group Marae Development Plan
New Zealand Transport Agency	Roading Strategy Road Safe Taranaki
Venture Taranaki Trust	Economic Development Strategy Tourism Strategy Skills Strategy Broadband Strategy Major Events Future Taranaki Facilitation Group
Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki	Skills Strategy Broadband Strategy

Moving partnerships forward

The previous examples show the range of projects and programmes the Council is working collaboratively on. As a means of securing further strategic coordination of the delivery of Community Outcomes, the Council is facilitating a number of Community Outcome forums with partners and stakeholders who can contribute skills, expertise, resources and, programme delivery opportunities towards the achievement of outcomes. Forums are being held in March, for the following areas:

• Connected (infrastructure).
• Connected (communications).
• Prosperous (economy).
• Skilled (education, training and development).
• Secure (community safety).
• Healthy (physical and mental well-being, activity, health).
• Sustainable (environment).
• Together (community well-being).
• Vibrant (culture, leisure and recreation).

The intent of the forums is to enable partners to develop a joint approach that coordinates efforts towards the achievement of Community Outcomes within the district in a way that maximises benefit and minimises duplication.

Funding Partners

New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) is a funding partner. The eligibility for NZTA funding depends on the category of work being carried out with most of maintenance and renewals being subsidised automatically, and improvements subsidised if they meet certain project criteria.

We have addressed some of the transport issues which you raised in early consultation by working with the New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA). This has resulted in the forthcoming construction of the Waiwhakaiho River pedestrian and cycle bridge. This is phase one of the Coastal Walkway extension, which will open up a walking and cycling route between the city and Bell Block as well as opening up previously inaccessible coastline. The bridge and walkway are 61 per cent funded by NZTA (formally Land Transport NZ) who recognised the opportunity to provide New Plymouth commuters with a safe, efficient and direct cycling route away from vehicular traffic.

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