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2001 Conference - Rotorua
Learning from Collaboration
Bill Graham
Project Team Manager
Ruapehu, Wanganui and Rangitikei Regional Partnership Programme
Contents
1. Catalyst
- Each party tried "going alone" but unsuccessful,
- Awareness of the need to improve - collaboration provided
benefits,
- Compatibility between the districts - tradition, economy and
Whanganui River
- Iwi along the Whanganui River already working collectively,
- Regional Partnership Programme provided an opportunity to work
together
2. Getting Started
- Ruapehu, Wanganui and Rangitikei District Councils agree to
collaborate for the Regional Partnership Programme and initiate
discussions with iwi
- Wanganui District Council had established relationships with
local iwi
- Ruapehu and Rangitikei District Councils encouraged
participation from iwi
- Obtained support from the regional community
3. Regional Structure
- Structure to suit our region using experience by others,
- Need to separate governance and project team,
- Focus on regional benefits,
- Allow for differences between each district,
- Acceptance of some overlap between district council and iwi
boundaries,
- Projects categorised :
- larger than our region
- regional
- sub-regional
4. Governance
- Steering Group formed on a voluntary basis:
- 3 district councils
- 11 Iwi
- Minister of Economic Development
- Council and iwi in each district collaborate on district
issues Partnership collaborate on regional issues and support
sub-regional projects
- Agreement to:
- prepare strategic plan for our region, and
- implement capability building including networks
5. Project Team
- Comprises the Economic Development Manager from each district
council and an independent team manager
- Report to the Steering Group
- Role is to undertake the various functions required
Relationship with others
- Central government
- Regional government
- Key stakeholders in our region's community
6. Achievements Outcomes
- One of the first regional partnerships formed, support from
key people
- Voluntary membership
- Improving relationship and goodwill between partners
- local government
- iwi
- governance and operational level
- Increased inter district collaboration on other issues
- Structure enables access to key stakeholders and resources
- central government
- regional government
- Consultation provided many benefits
- accurate assessment of our region's threats and
opportunities
- increased the "horizon" for many participants
- good participation by most sectors in our region
- strong support for the regional partnership
- Completed draft strategic plan, awaiting approval
7. Our Experience
- The regional partnership programme provided the catalyst
- High expectations for success - and a significant risk
- The benefits will result from ongoing commitment by partners
to provide the leadership and resources
- Lead in time required to establish a regional partnership
- Large partnership brings diversity and challenges
- acceptance of other perspectives
- focus on individual members needs
- seek prompt resolution to threats
- time for consideration and approval of issues
- Focus on opportunities that will provide benefits to the
region
- Separate governance and project management is essential
- Project team need a clear mandate, autonomy and remain
objective
- Benefits accrue from regional collaboration
- establishing relationships
- generating goodwill between partners
- increased economies of scale
- access to key stakeholders and resources
- Critical success factors to retain confidence in our
partnership:
- securing adequate resources to undertake our strategic
projects in a professional manner
- increasing our capability to reduce threats and realise
opportunities
- maintaining goodwill between partners through achievement
that provide betterment for all people in our region
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