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Strategy, Planning & Engagement
Committee
8 May 2023
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Strategic Refresh Update
Department: Corporate
Policy
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 The
purpose of this report is to update the Strategy, Planning and Engagement
Committee on the progress of the Strategic Refresh project (the Strategic
Refresh), and outlines the next phase of the Strategy Refresh work
programme.
2 The
report summarises key milestones achieved since the update report to Council in
September 2022.
3 A
schedule of Councillor workshops is provided as Appendix A.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Committee:
a) Notes the Strategic Refresh Update Report
BACKGROUND
4 The
existing Strategic Framework (the wheel) incorporates eight high-level
strategies. The wheel is underpinned by Council’s commitment to the
Treaty of Waitangi and the principle of sustainability.
5 The
key strategies were developed with community and stakeholders over a period of
approximately eight years. The first strategy, the Three Waters Strategic
Direction Statement was adopted in 2010. The last, the Parks and Recreation
Strategy was completed in 2017.
6 A
review by consultants Harrison Grierson in 2020 found that:
· There was no formal governance or oversight of the wheel
· That the principles of sustainability and the Treaty of Waitangi
were not clearly defined
· That there was no consistency in prioritising, implementing,
measuring, and reporting on the principles across the strategies
· That the wheel lacked alignment and did not capture all of the
DCC’s strategic activities
· That the DCC’s current strategic framework wheel needed to be
refreshed
7 Separately,
the Local Government (Community Wellbeing) Amendment Act (2019) restored the
promotion of ‘social, economic, environmental, and cultural wellbeing of
communities’ to the statutory purpose as defined in the Local Government
Act 2002. However, the four wellbeings were not clearly defined within the Act.
8 The
wheel does include four wellbeing strategies (Ara Toi Otepoti – our
Creative future, Te Ao Tūroa, Economic Development Strategy and
Dunedin’s Social Wellbeing Strategy), but they are not embedded across
all strategic documents or operational activities. Refreshing the four
wellbeing strategies was identified as essential. The development of a
Māori Strategic Framework (MSF) to give effect to Council’s
commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi was also identified as essential.
9 In
September 2020, Council considered options for a consistent approach to
sustainability in the refresh of the DCC’s Strategic Framework. Council
approved the development of the City Portrait for development and adaptation. The
Council resolved as follows:
Moved (Cr Steve
Walker/Cr Christine Garey):
That the Council:
a) Considers
the sustainability frameworks set out in the report, and
b) Approves
development of the City Portrait framework for development and adaptation.
Division
The Council voted
by division:
For: Crs Sophie
Barker, David Benson-Pope, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Mike Lord, Jim O'Malley,
Chris Staynes, Steve Walker and Mayor Aaron Hawkins (9).
Against: Crs Rachel
Elder, Jules Radich, Lee Vandervis and Andrew Whiley (4).
Abstained: Nil
The division was
declared CARRIED by 9 votes to 4
Motion carried
(CNL/2020/072)
10 In
December 2020, an update report on the Strategic Refresh was presented to
Council.
11 In
May 2021, the report ‘Thriving Cities City Portrait: Progressing the
Strategic Framework Refresh’ was presented to Council. The Council voted
by division to approve the implementation of the Strategic Framework Refresh
project plan.
Moved (Cr Steve Walker/Cr Christine
Garey):
That the Council:
b) Approves
implementation of the Strategic Framework Refresh project plan.
Division
The Council voted by
division:
For: Crs Sophie Barker, David
Benson-Pope, Rachel Elder, Christine Garey, Carmen Houlahan, Marie Laufiso, Jim
O'Malley, Steve Walker and Mayor Aaron Hawkins (9).
Against: Crs Mike
Lord, Jules Radich, Lee Vandervis and Andrew Whiley (4).
Abstained: Nil
The division was
declared CARRIED by 9 votes to 4
Motion carried
(CNL/2021/078)
12 In
December 2021, a further update report was presented to Council on the
Strategic Framework Refresh Programme.
13 The
most recent update to Council was in September 2022, which included a proposed
draft ‘refreshed’ Strategic Framework (the weave).
“Moved (Mayor Aaron Hawkins/Cr
Christine Garey): That the Council:
Notes the Strategic Refresh update and the ‘refreshed draft’
Strategic Framework.
Motion carried (CNL/2022/065) with Cr
Vandervis recording his vote against.
14 The
draft weave framework has been a useful conceptually as a visual to reimagine
strategic alignment. The weave has also been useful in making visible key
strategic components that will support Council to deliver improved wellbeing to
all Dunedin residents, whilst providing clarity of alignment across operational
activities. Recent Council feedback was used to produce this updated version of
the weave.
The draft 
DISCUSSION
Strategic Refresh Update
15 Staff
have developed a high level online dashboard to provide clear updates on the Strategic
Refresh project. An overview of this is included below.
Table 1: High level
summary of review of wellbeing strategies, and development of new strategies.
16 As
set out in the previous Council report in September 2022, the Harrison Grierson
Project plan has been integrated in the work programme and the original
milestones remain relevant such as; developing a schedule of Councillor
workshops and updated reports, continual alignment across the work streams and
education opportunities for staff teams.
17 In
addition to the Harrison Grierson Project plan, wellbeing and engagement was
also included as new work areas in response to the Future for Local Government
review which proposed strengthening the legislation related to the Treaty of
Waitangi and wellbeing.
18 The
original timeline in the Harrison Grierson Project plan was not achievable as
the periods were too short to engage with mana whenua and the wider community,
and it did not take into account the impacts of Covid-19.
19 The
timing of the project going forward takes into account other Council related
work and the 10 Year Plan 2024-34.
20 A
high level update on each of the work streams that form the Strategic Refresh
Project is summarised below.
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Work Streams
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Key Milestones completed
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What we are working on now
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Where we are heading
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Māori Strategic Framework
(Treaty of Waitangi Priority)
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· Engagement with mana whenua
(ongoing)
· Values and framework
developed with mana whenua
· Council Workshop
· Te Pae Māori
Presentation
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· Finalising high level
strategy document
· Developing draft indicators
and measures
· Connecting the MSF with the
City Portrait and the four wellbeings
· Planning for update report
and presentation to Te Pae Māori
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· Te Pae Māori report and
presentation
· Council workshop
· Council approval
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City Portrait
(Sustainability Priority)
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· Review of DCC strategies
· Ongoing meetings with staff
· Updated communications
(online)
· Appointment of PAN
· Council Workshops
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· Developing draft indicators/measures
with staff in existing strategies
· Council workshops
· Developing engagement plan to
support community engagement
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· Council workshop
· Community Engagement
· Council approval
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Wellbeing Strategies (Economic Development
Strategy, Ara Toi, Te Ao Tūroa, Social Wellbeing)
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· Audit of existing
‘wellbeing’ strategies
· Wellbeing research completed
· Wellbeing Concepts drafted
· Ongoing support for ORC
wellbeing group
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· Building indicators/measures
with Council and staff
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· Council workshops
· Community Engagement
· Council approval
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Levels of Service and other data
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· Reviewed LoS and other data
· Produced draft SMART
descriptions for LoS
· Workshop with Councillors
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· Developing LoS with staff and
Council
· Developing reporting tools
for strategies
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· Council workshop
· Community Engagement
· Council approval
· Auditors satisfied with LoS
improvements
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Engagement Strategy
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· Reviewed other
Council’s engagement strategies and guidelines
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· Developing a Council wide
engagement strategy
· Identifying key principles
for community engagement
· Developing guidelines and
best practice engagement tools.
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· Council workshop
· Council approval
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Table
2: High level summary of work streams that form the Strategic Refresh Programme
21 The
timeline for the Strategic Refresh Project related to key milestones for 2023
is outlined below.
Key Points
Refreshing
the existing strategies
22 In
undertaking the review of the DCC’s existing strategies, staff have been
mindful of the legislative reforms from Central Government. This has included,
but not limited to, the reform of the Resource Management Act including the
forthcoming Climate Adaptation Bill, the 3 Waters reform, as well as the Future
for Local Government review.
23 The
wheel includes four strategies that focus on community wellbeing and four
statutory strategies that relate to critical services delivered by Council.
Across these eight strategies, objectives include both long term visionary
goals for the city, as well as short to medium outputs related to delivering
operational activities. This has resulted in various indicators and measures,
that are not aligned, are disconnected and do not clearly indicate progress
over time.
24 The
focus has been on analysing and refreshing the four strategies that are related
to wellbeing (Economic Development Strategy, Ara Toi, Te Ao Tūroa, and
Dunedin’s Social Wellbeing). This has involved an in-depth audit of each
strategy, analysing strengths and weaknesses in relation to wellbeing, and
identifying areas of improvement.
25 In
refreshing the remaining strategies, it has been important to keep in mind the
potential impacts of the reforms as well as the statutory requirements related
to strategies that have national significance such as the Transport, Spatial
and 3 Waters Strategies. These specific strategies have been reviewed in
relation to the Treaty of Waitangi and Sustainability and have helped to inform
the City Portrait work. The Spatial Strategy is also being refreshed as part of
the Future Development Strategy work.
Workshop
Programme
26 A
combined Councillor and ELT workshop programme has been developed. The
rationale for these workshops is so that ELT and Council can consider and give
feedback on the development of the wellbeing strategies together. This will
provide an opportunity for a combined governance and operational perspective.
This in turn will help to strengthen the process and provide guidance on the
Strategic Refresh work programme. Please see Appendix One for a list of
scheduled workshops.
Summary of
Wellbeing and City Portrait work
27 A
summary overview of the Wellbeing and City Portrait work has been prepared and
will be provided prior to the workshop programme.
28 This
summary will include a review of national, international, and indigenous
wellbeing research and frameworks, and a comparison of how other cities are
developing wellbeing strategies to drive their work and assess impacts.
The Wellbeing Summary includes a high level review of the existing wellbeing
strategies. DCC have attended the regional wellbeing working group, led by the
Otago Regional Council. Collaboration with this group has also helped to foster
a shared understanding of wellbeing. In addition, The City Portrait
Summary includes a review of existing strategies and a high level summary of
what the DCC is currently measuring as it relates to the ecological
ceiling.
OPTIONS
29 As
this is a report for noting, there are no options.
NEXT STEPS
30 Combined
Councillor and ELT workshop programme is scheduled to start in May.
31 Community
Engagement is an essential part of the Strategic Refresh. This will begin
in August and September once the Councillor and ELT workshops are complete. The
focus is to learn from the community and provide opportunities for the
community to shape the refreshed strategies.
32 Update
reports to Strategy, Planning and Engagement Committee will follow
the Council and ELT workshops with the provision of the Strategic Refresh
engagement plan. A further update report is planned following community
engagement.
Signatories
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Author:
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Gina Huakau - Corporate Policy Manager
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Authoriser:
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Jeanette Wikaira - Manahautū
(General Manager Māori Partnerships and Policy
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Attachments
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Title
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Page
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⇩a
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Strategic
refresh Reporting and Workshop Schedule
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37
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SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS
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Fit
with purpose of Local Government
The Strategic Refresh enables democratic
local decision making and action by, and on behalf of, communities.
It also promotes the social, economic,
environmental and cultural wellbeing of communities in the present and for
the future.
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Fit
with strategic framework
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Contributes
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Detracts
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Not applicable
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Social Wellbeing Strategy
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þ
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☐
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☐
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Economic Development Strategy
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þ
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☐
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☐
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Environment Strategy
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þ
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☐
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☐
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Arts and Culture Strategy
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þ
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☐
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☐
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3 Waters Strategy
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þ
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☐
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☐
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Spatial Plan
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þ
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☐
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☐
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Integrated Transport Strategy
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þ
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☐
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☐
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Parks and Recreation Strategy
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þ
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☐
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☐
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Other strategic projects/policies/plans
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þ
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☐
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☐
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The Refresh encapsulates all of the above
strategies.
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Māori
Impact Statement
Mana whenua and mataawaka are partners in
the development of the MSF and in the Strategic Refresh. The project will
ensure the DCC is a good Treaty partner and contributes to positive outcomes
for Māori and will seek further Māori input via community
engagement.
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Sustainability
The development and adoption of the City
Portrait will promote social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing
of communities in the present and for the future. It will do this by
clarifying the interpretation and measures of sustainability, and promoting
consistent application of this development approach.
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LTP/Annual
Plan / Financial Strategy /Infrastructure Strategy
The Refresh is expected to bring greater
visibility and clarity as to how current and future corporate planning
functions (encompassing long term plans and associated statutory strategies,
levels of service and performance measures) support the DCC’s strategic
goals and meet statutory requirements. The Strategic Refresh will align with
the 10 Year Plan process.
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Financial
considerations
There are no financial considerations.
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Significance
This report is considered to be of low
significance in terms of the Significance and Engagement Policy as it
provides an update of the Strategic Refresh. The Strategic Refresh itself is
of high importance and so community engagement is planned and has been
detailed in the report.
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Engagement
– external
Staff have not presented to any
additional groups since the last update report.
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Engagement
- internal
Internal engagement is ongoing.
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Risks:
Legal / Health and Safety etc.
There are no identified risks.
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Conflict
of Interest
There are no known conflicts of interest.
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Community
Boards
All areas of the city will be interested
in the Strategic Refresh. Community Boards will have an opportunity to
participate as part of the engagement process.
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