Draft Long Term Plan 2012-2022 - Hurunui District Council

www.hurunui.govt.nzThe starting point for determining the degree of significanceis to consider:• the likely impact on or consequences for the wellness of thecommunity, taking account in relation to current and futureneeds (i.e. sustainability) the social, economic, environmentaland cultural wellbeing of the District, along with the District’slandscape & outlook, individual and community lifestyle,education and skills development, heritage & tradition, andinfrastructure.• the likely impact on or consequences for thoseaffected or interested.• the capacity of the Council (including financial capacity)to implement the decision and carry out its normal role.It is Council’s decision as to what “a high degree of significance”means in each instance.Criteria for Determining SignificanceThe significance of a decision will help determine theappropriate nature, extent and degree of compliance requiredwith the decision-making process set out in Part 6 of the LGA.For significant decisions, the Council will ensure appropriatecompliance.The questions set out below should be used by Council toassist in determining the degree of significance of any issue,proposal, decision or other matter. These questions will alsohelp with the required level of compliance with sections 77, 78,80, 81 and 82 of the LGA. (Refer to the appendices.)Firstly: Does Council have sufficient information about theissue, proposal, decisions or other matter?If not, then no decision as to the significance of the issue canbe made.Secondly: If the answer is yes to any of the following questionsthen the issue, proposal, decisions or other matter hassignificance. The greater the number of ‘yes’ answers, thegreater the degree of significance.In the opinion of the Council, does the issue, proposal, decisionor other matter:• affect all or a large portion of the community in a farreachingway?• have a potential impact or consequence on the affectedpersons (being a number of persons) that is substantial?• have financial implications on the Council’s resourcesthat would be substantial?• generate (or would be expected to generate) a highdegree of controversy?• fail to flow logically or consequentially from a decisionin the Hurunui Long Term Community Plan (includingthe ideal of District and community wellness)?Significant Issues, Proposals, Decisions and OtherMattersSignificant issues, proposals, decisions or other matters will beincluded in the Hurunui Long Term Community Plan whereverpossible. Where this is not practical they will be includedwherever possible in the Annual Plan produced in the yearsbetween the Hurunui Long Term Community Plan or whererequired by the Act in an amendment to the Hurunui Long TermCommunity Plan.Significant decisions will only be made outside of the aboveprocesses where there are compelling reasons for it not beingpractical for them to be included in the Hurunui Long TermCommunity Plan or Annual Plan.The Council will not proceed with a decision that is deter- minedto be significant without consideration of a detailed statementevidencing compliance with sections 77, 78, 80,81 and 82 of theLGA.Other implications of significance under the LGA are:• The Council must use the special consultativeprocedure (SCP) when considering a proposal to alterthe mode (as set out in LGA section 88(1-2)) by whicha significant activity is undertaken.• If an option identified in the decision-making processinvolves a significant decision in relation to land or abody of water, the local authority must take intoaccount the relationship of Mäori and their culture andtraditions with their ancestral land, water, etc.• The Council must not lose control of, sell or disposeof ‘significant infrastructure’ necessary for providingwater services.ConsultationThe significance of a matter will guide the Council’s decisionsconcerning the extent and nature of the consultation to beundertaken with the persons likely to be affected or interestedin the decision or matter as set out in section 82 of the LGA.In determining what is appropriate, the Council must haveregard to various matters including its likely impact from theperspective of the persons who will or may be affected by thedecision. The degree of significance will help decide whethera special round of consultation is necessary, or whether it issufficient to rely on information already gathered and held bythe Council. The degree of compliance and associated cost252