Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Local Govt | National News Video | Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Search

 

Innovative projects feature in LGNZ EXCELLENCE Awards

Innovative projects feature in local government EXCELLENCE Awards

From a world-leading programme to locate library services in a DHB health hub, to innovative economic, environmental and arts strategies, finalists in the 2018 Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) EXCELLENCE Awards showcase a wide range of outstanding council leadership initiatives.

The awards, now in their fifth year, recognise and celebrate the key role local government plays within New Zealand communities.

The awards attracted its highest ever number of entries, with 75 applications and 22 finalists for six awards. This year includes a new category, for Governance, Leadership and Strategy. Winners will be announced at the LGNZ conference gala dinner in Christchurch on 16 July.

LGNZ President Dave Cull says local government plays an essential role in driving residential, community and economic activity throughout New Zealand.

“Local councils provide the essential infrastructure and other services which all New Zealanders use on a weekly, daily and hourly basis,” said Mr Cull.

“But they also lead and implement the vision, direction and place-making of the towns, cities, districts and regions of New Zealand.”

“The EXCELLENCE finalists all demonstrate the innovation, excellence in communication and consultative work undertaken to involve communities in the decisions and planning which frame their future and link closely to LGNZ’s CouncilMARK programme.”

Forty per cent of New Zealand’s local authorities have signed up to this programme, which is designed to improve the public’s knowledge of the work councils are doing in their communities and to support individual councils to further improve the service and value they provide.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

Local authorities were invited to submit award applications in six categories:
• EXCELLENCE Award for Best Practice in Governance, Leadership and Strategy
• EXCELLENCE Award for Best Practice in Service Delivery and Asset Management
• Fulton Hogan EXCELLENCE Award for Community Engagement
• EXCELLENCE Award for Best Practice Contribution to Local Economic Development
• Air New Zealand EXCELLENCE Award for Environmental Impact
• Creative New Zealand EXCELLENCE Award for Best Creative Place

The 22 finalists in the LGNZ EXCELLENCE Awards 2018 are:

EXCELLENCE Award for Best Practice in Governance, Leadership and Strategy

Central Hawke’s Bay District Council – Project Thrive
Project Thrive resulted in effective and genuine engagement by the community to cement the governance of a new council and develop a strategic vision and direction for the community of Central Hawke’s Bay.

Palmerston North City Council – Framing the Big Picture
The project unified Council activity behind a singular vision and within a comprehensive framework, making strategy and execution planning clear for councillors, staff and residents alike.

Rotorua Lakes Council – Planning for the Rotorua Way
Rotorua Lakes is navigating a better future for its district through an integrated partnership and strategy-focused framework to deliver the district’s long-term vision.

Waikato District Council – North Waikato integrated growth management
A multi-party project to develop an integrated and sustainable land use and infrastructure plan to address growth challenges for the northern Waikato over the next 30 years.

EXCELLENCE Award for Service Delivery and Asset Management

Rotorua Lakes Council – Te Aka Mauri Library and Children’s Health Hub
The creation of Te Aka Mauri represents a national first, if not a global first, in that it successfully co-locates Rotorua’s library service with the local DHB’s health hub.

Waipa District Council – RATA (Road Asset Technical Accord)
A collaboration between nine councils in the Waikato region to improve strategic road asset management planning.

Wellington City Council (for Wellington Water) – Water in an Emergency
When Mother Nature threw Wellington a curve ball on 14 November 2016, the city responded with a collaborative project involving five councils, a CCO, and central government, to build water resilience in an emergency.

Fulton Hogan EXCELLENCE Award for Community Engagement

Far North District Council – Ngā Kurī Auau o Kaikohe
A targeted, community-based social marketing project which aimed to assist hard-to-reach communities with dog compliance and to promote responsible dog ownership.

Gisborne District Council – What’s the future Tairawhiti?
An early engagement campaign which sought to ignite community engagement to help develop the direction of the Council’s 2018-2028 Long Term Plan.

Kaikoura District Council – The Hospo Project: Feeding the Village People
The Hospo Project was created to reinvigorate Kaikoura’s economy after the 2016 earthquake and empowered 22 local businesses to work together to execute a multimillion dollar ‘catering service’ contract.

Manurewa and Papakura Local Boards (Auckland Council) – Engagement on the Manurewa Takanini Papakura Integrated Area Plan
The Integrated Area Plan is the result of a successful, collaborative and innovative public engagement process that captured feedback from youth and other residents who live the vision of the plan.

Palmerston North City Council – Palmerston North Junior Road Safety Park
Creating a place for Palmerston North’s children to learn road safety in a simulated traffic environment brought community, Council and local business together to create a fun and functional park.

Waipa District Council – Out of the Shadows
A brave engagement project led by Waipa District Council, which has forced its community to confront and better understand its past, so it can make better decisions for its future.

Wairoa District Council – Wairoa Wastewater Stakeholder Group
The Council established the Wairoa Wastewater Stakeholder Group to support it as it undertook community consultation about the future management of wastewater in the Wairoa township.

EXCELLENCE Award for Best Practice Contribution to Local Economic Development

Rotorua Lakes Council – The Revitalisation of the Rotorua Inner City
The Council’s economic development strategy to revitalise the inner city, thereby improving visitor experiences for locals and tourists, catalysing private investment, driving retail tenancy levels and creating employment.

Waikato District Council – Te Awa River Ride – Ngaruawahia to Horotiu
The final 3km of shared walkway/cycleway, including a Waikato River crossing, the iconic Perry Bridge structure. Delivering the infrastructure to complete the link was the result of years of collaboration between multiple stakeholder groups, each represented by passionate individuals striving for better outcomes for their communities.

Air New Zealand EXCELLENCE Award for Environmental Impact

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council – Heretaunga Plains Groundwater Model
The state-of-the-art Heretaunga Plains Groundwater Model has unified a community around the future of New Zealand’s second largest aquifer, achieving broad support for ceasing further groundwater allocation while driving innovative environmental solutions.

Northland Regional Council – Marine Biosecurity
The Council’s marine biosecurity programme has been leading the way in working to protect the region’s precious marine environment, now and for future generations, from harmful marine invaders.

Wellington City Council – Our Natural Capital
A programme to protect and restore Wellington’s indigenous biodiversity, through predator control, threatened species protection, and cutting-edge research.

Creative New Zealand EXCELLENCE Award Best Creative Place

Horowhenua District Council – Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom
Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom is a shared place which is the result of a collaborative process; creating a space for tangata whenua, Dutch settlers and the local community.

Kāpiti Coast District Council – Kāpiti Arts Trail
A flagship arts event, which the Kāpiti Coast District Council has led for the past 17 years. This year’s event gives over 100 local artists the opportunity to welcome the public into their studios and observe the work they do and the passion they have for art. Its focus is on inclusivity, participation and celebrating cultural vibrancy through the district.

Palmerston North City Council – Public Art Programme
An integrated suite of initiatives that support the creative sector to build a sense of place and enhance access to the arts.

*Ends*

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.