What is the relationship between community outcomes and long term council community plans (LTCCP) under the LGA, and Resource Management Act (RMA) plans and national instruments under the RMA?
The LGA requires LAs to consult with their local communities and Crown Agencies to determine what public goods and services the community wants provided. This process leads to the development of 'community outcomes'. These outcomes are then translated into a plan of action referred to as the LTCCP.
This is a ten year strategic planning document, and covers all LA functions from financial planning and economic development initiatives, to social service provisions such as libraries, housing and community facilities. LTCCPs must be reviewed triennially.
The RMA establishes a hierarchy of policy documents from national instruments to regional policy statements, and regional and district plans. This 'hierarchy' and requirement to ensure consistency between plans, is to promote sustainable management and ensure integrated management of natural and physical resources at a national, regional and local level.
The LTCCP does not override the provisions of RMA plans (or other statutory documents), nor is there a legal requirement that new plans and strategies that are adopted, while a LTCCP is in force, must conform to it. However, because the LTCCP both records the outcomes identified by the community and identifies how the local authority will contribute to these, it is expected that local authorities will use this process to inform other plans and strategies to the LTCCP.
Alignment of RMA plans with LTCCPs may eventually be required so that RMA decisions can contribute to the achievement of the identified community outcomes.
This diagram shows how community outcomes and the LTCCP relate to and impact on other council strategies and policy documents, which include regional policy statements and regional and district plans.
