Napier City Council selected for new standards programme

Published: 12 July 2016

Last Updated: 12 May 2017

Becoming a Foundation Council for the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) standards programme gives Napier City Council a chance to show the community how its strategic plans and values shape up against others.

LGNZ has selected 21 Foundation Councils to lead the programme in 2016, including Hastings and Wairoa District Councils.  Results will be published in 2017. The local government standards system will demonstrate and improve the value and services of councils by measuring qualitative and quantitative indicators across leadership, finance, service delivery and community engagement. 

Through the programme participating councils will be assessed every three years, given a standard from A to C, and the results publicised. Councils will discuss results with communities and use the assessments to plan improvements.

“We were keen to be part of the programme as soon as we were introduced to it, so to be selected as a Foundation Council at this early stage is fantastic,” says Chief Executive Wayne Jack.

LGNZ President Lawrence Yule said the system was being set up to give communities a clear and independent picture of how well their council was performing in serving the community.

“This will provide for communities a thorough and trusted standard for council performance.  They will now know that their council meets an A, B, or C standard,” he said.

“For councils this will help them improve to deliver top value for communities.  They will now know how they perform in dozens of services, and where the community wants improvement.”

The excellence programme has been developed in response to the 2015 New Zealand Local Government Survey, which showed there is an opportunity to lift and demonstrate the service and value councils deliver to their communities.

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