Local Government Shared Services Toolkit Planning and Development - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Local Government Shared Services Toolkit Planning and Development Presentation to FNQROC LG Planners Group Greg Hoffman PSM Monday 13 August 2019 1

What is the Project?  Develop a ‘toolkit’  For establishing and implementing council-to-council shared service arrangements  For planning and development functions, at their discretion  Including consideration of alternative assessment manager arrangements under the Planning Act 2016 (the Planning Act). 2

Why? Across councils -  variable numbers of planning, building & plumbing applications  infrequency of applications particularly in small rural/remote councils  Lack of resources - Staff V Consultants/Contractors  High cost!!  Is there a better way? 3

How? A shared service arrangement between local governments -  can help to alleviate resource pressures  retain corporate knowledge  provide economies of scale  meet an expected level of service to the community, and  reduce overall costs 4

What’s In? Planning & development functions:  building certification  plumbing approvals & inspections, and/or  land use planning & development assessment o including consideration of an alternative assessment manager arrangement under the Planning Act . 5

Who’s Involved? Project Partners:  DSDMIP - Innovation and Improvement Fund = $$  Cairns Regional Council = Applicant  Far North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (FNQROC) = Councils  Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) = Oversight 6

Stages? Four key stages: 1. Research - opportunities, constraints, feasibility, state- wide ‘toolkit’ 2. Design - operating model, governance framework, evaluation framework 3. Implementation - trial/pilot study – Cairns RC as “provider” with others as “receivers” 4. Review – final toolkit with learnings and recommendations from trial/pilot study evaluation 7

Project Approach & Timelines 8

Project Approach & Timelines 9

Project Approach & Timelines 10

Project Approach & Timelines 11

Project Approach & Timelines 12

So far!!  Steering Committee o Formed – Cairns RC (Paul Cohen), FNQROC (Darlene Irvine/ Linda Richardson), LGAQ (Luke Hannan/Crystal Baker) o Inception Meeting – 20 May 2019  Consultants Appointed o Grassroots Connections Australia Pty Ltd – Greg Hoffman PSM o Huelin Consulting Pty Ltd – Ryan Huelin  Baseline Survey o Sent to FNQROC LG Planners Group – 24 July 2019 o Functions performed, staff employed, in-house or consultant services, number of applications received. 13

Outcome Toolkit with:  Operating model  Governance frameworks o Technical o Legal o Political risks & o Opportunities  Memorandum of Understanding & Code of Conduct o roles, responsibilities & obligations - • service proving council(s) & • service recipient council(s) 14

Key Points The project is:  RDI Model – research, develop, implement  Toolkit for FNQ and rest of Queensland  Participation is voluntary – project & utilisation of toolkit  Model will be flexible/tailored to individual council needs, e.g. o customer enquiry assistance, capacity building, or mentoring o assessment services only, and/or o assessment and decision-making powers (such as for an alternative assessment manager).  Toolkit will be practical, user friendly and fit for purpose. 15