Circulars

What’s new or changing

• This circular provides advice to councils in relation to their Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) requirements until the next local government elections.

What this will mean for your council

The Integrated Planning and Reporting Cycle

• The existing Delivery Program will apply for a further 12 months, maintaining the key themes and any activities not yet completed. Where additional activities are proposed that are significantly different to those identified in the existing Delivery Program, the usual public exhibition requirements will apply.
• Councils will have adopted their 2019-20 Operational Plan and should continue to operate under this plan until 31 July 2020. Note the timing is extended to allow councils additional time to prepare their 2020-21 Operational Plan because of extenuating circumstances under the COVID‑19 emergency.
• A new Operational Plan (2020-21) must be developed for adoption by
  1 August 2020, reflecting the existing Delivery Program.
• In preparing for the next annual Operational Plan (for the 2020-21 period), councils should take the following approach:
  • The existing Community Strategic Plan remains in place as a valid reference document
  • The existing Resourcing Strategy remains in place, with the long-term financial plan being annually reviewed, as usual.
• Once the deferred election is conducted, council will commence its next cycle of Integrated Planning and Reporting.
• Any planned measurement and recording of progress towards the achievement of the objectives of the Community Strategic Plan can proceed and be used to inform the next Integrated Planning and Reporting cycle.

Exhibition of Documents

• Standard exhibition periods, including the requirements relating to the Statement of Revenue Policy, apply.
• IP&R documents can be published on council’s website and made available for inspection electronically or in such other form as determined by the council.

Annual Report

• The time for the preparation and publishing of 2019-20 annual reports has been extended until 31 December 2020. The annual reporting requirements for 2020-21 will continue as usual, with 2020-21 annual reports due to be published by 30 November 2021.

End of term reporting

• End of term reporting is deferred in line with the election cycle. Further information will be provided closer to the rescheduled election in 2021.

Where to go for further information

• Please contact your council’s Council Engagement Manager with any questions.

Tim Hurst

Deputy Secretary

Local Government, Planning and Policy