Local Government Victoria Co-designing Integrated Strategic ......The strategic planning principles in the Local Government Act require Councils to “take an integrated approach to

Local Government Victoria

Co-designing Integrated Strategic Planning & Reporting

Jobs,Precinctsand Regions

Closing date for responses:21 August 2020

Workbook for Co-design

Round 1

2 Local Government Victoria Co-designing Integrated Strategic Planning & Reporting WORKBOOK

The Local Government Act 2020 requires councils to take an integrated approach to strategic planning and reporting. Local Government Victoria (LGV) is responsible for managing and overseeing the implementation phase of the Act. As the Act is a principles based Act, LGV is seeking not to be prescriptive in ‘telling’ councils how to implement the strategic planning and reporting sections of the Act but rather working with councils and ‘codesigning’ the supports identified as being needed by councils to implement the provisions of the Act.

Thank you for your interest in participating in the council co-design process.

This workbook has been designed to guide your Round 1 small mixed co-design team conversation.

This workbook contains:

1. Context and roadmap for the co-design process

2. Instructions for meeting as a team and submitting your responses

3. Guidelines for co-design conversations and

4. The five engagement questions for your group to answer

Any questions or assistance

This codesign program is being facilitated by MosaicLab on behalf of LGV.

If you have questions about your task, please email Laura from MosaicLab at: [email protected]

IntroductIon


The strategic planning principles in the Local Government Act require Councils to “take an integrated approach to planning, monitoring and performance reporting”.

How this is done is up to individual councils. Some councils have been working with an integrated framework in place for some years, while for others, integrated planning and reporting is new.

LGV has commissioned a discussion paper that sets out a draft integrated strategic planning and reporting framework (referred to as ‘the framework’ in this document). This framework is intended as a guide and a starting point, not a prescriptive requirement. LGV envisages that the framework will be particularly helpful as a guide for councils that are new to integrated planning and reporting.

You can find a link to the discussion paper here.

context

Codesign purpose The purpose of the co-design is twofold:

• to consider and improve the draft framework as one of the key supports

• to identify all other ‘supports’ needed by councils.

The intent is to add value and build on the current planning and reporting approaches and expertise of councils, not to replace the work of councils.

‘Supports’ in this context covers a range of elements such as guidance materials, regulations, models, training courses, or communities of practice. There is no set limit to this range of items that can be considered ‘supports’. Supports may be related to the overall framework or to specific individual elements of the framework (community vision, council plan, financial plan, asset management plan, four-year budget, revenue and rating plan, annual report, workforce plan).

Once identified, some ‘supports’ may best be provided by Local Government Victoria, while other ‘supports’ may be best developed by peak bodies or groups of councils working together.

Codesign process and outputs The co-design will take place in two rounds. This workbook supports the small, self-managed team work of the Round 1 co-design, which you have all volunteered to take part in. In Round 1, multiple small teams work together to identify ideas for improving integrated planning and reporting, including improving the draft framework and prioritizing the types of ‘supports’ councils need to achieve more integrated planning and reporting.

Each team in Round 1 will nominate one member to participate in the ‘deep dive’ co-design workshops in Round 2. The Round 2 workshops will focus on specific topics identified in Round 1 as priorities for the sector and will identify design principles and key ideas for the ‘supports’ required for each topic.

The final outputs of the co-design process will be:

• An integrated strategic planning and reporting framework that can be tailored by individual councils to suit their own needs

• A range of ‘supports’ identified through the co-design that are developed to support councils to undertake integrated strategic planning and reporting

You can find more information about the objectives, process and outcomes of the co-design in the Engagement Plan here.

https://engage.vic.gov.au/download_file/view/30680/4430



Preparation & Planning

JULY 2020

• Engagement Plan developed

• Participants for Round 1 recruited and sorted into teams

Identifying Ideas

AUGUST 2020

• Small, self-managing co-design teams meet to respond to engagement questions (3 – 21 August)

• Launch Webinar (7 August)

Deep Dive

SEPTEMBER 2020

• ‘Deep Dive’ co-design workshops on specific topics identified as priorities in Round 1 co-design

Reporting back

OCTOBER 2020

• Webinar to report back to the sector

Round 1

Round 2

Developing Supports

OCTOBER 2020

• LGV, councils and peak bodies develop ‘supports’ as a result of co-design

• Supports ready for councils by 15 November 2020

co-desIgn roadmapW

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This workbook has been designed to make it easy for you to meet as a small co-design team in Round 1 and provide your inputs to the co-design process.

By now, you will have been assigned to a small co-design team and been provided with the contact details of your group members. These teams have been randomly assigned from the list of nominated participants to ensure each team has a mix of participants, according to:

• Type of council (rural, regional city and metropolitan)

• Interest areas (e.g. corporate planning, governance, finance, community engagement)

• Years of experience in local government

The groups comprise people from a range of interest areas, as this project is about integration: how the various strategic plans of council are integrated. Hence it is important to bring together people from different interest/functional areas of councils and be able to consider how the different functions relate to each other in councils. The mix of council types is also intentional in terms of learning from each other’s experiences within different size councils.

Timing and expectationsYour team needs to meet at least once between the 3rd and 21st of August 2020 to discuss the engagement questions in this workbook. You must agree on your answers as a team and submit them in the Engage Vic portal by 21 August 2020.

We expect that the process will take between two to four hours to complete. You may wish to cover all the questions in a single meeting, or meet twice with time for reflection in between. If you meet twice, we recommend structuring your time as follows:

• Meeting One: Work on Questions 1 – 4: Overall approach to integrated planning and reporting

• Meeting Two: Work on Question 5: Specific elements required by the Act

You are expected to discuss the material as a team and develop your answers together.

Your team will most likely have people with a range of experience and interest areas. We do not expect you to be experts on everything! Answer the questions that you can, to the best of your ability. There is an expectation that every group will be able to answer questions 1-4. Your answers to question 5 may vary depending on the range of interest areas in your group and if you choose to consult with other staff in your council.

InstructIons for small co-desIgn teams


StepsEach team should follow these steps:

1. Decide on a date and time for your team meeting(s) (allow at least two hours)

2. Agree on who will be the key contact person for your team (to receive communications from MosaicLab as needed)

3. Key contact person to email [email protected] by Tuesday 4 August, advising they are the contact person and when the first team meeting will be held

4. Agree on who will be the scribe for your team (the person who will submit the data into Engage Vic during your meetings)

5. Read this workbook and the discussion paper before your meeting

6. Seek input from other staff in your council about the engagement questions, ahead of your meeting (optional)

7. Meet with your team (at least 2 hours) and discuss your responses to the engagement questions in this workbook

8. Make sure that all the opinions and different views of the group are recorded (you may wish to agree on a scribe for your team to do this) in the Response Form on the Engage Vic platform by no later than 21 August 2020

Accessing the Engage Vic PortalYou can access the online Engage Vic portal to submit your responses here.

Every time you answer a question in Engage Vic, you will be asked to enter your Team Number (sent in the original email). This allows us to track your responses.

Note that there is no ‘save and return’ function in Engage Vic. You can approach the questions in sections (Q1-2, Q3-4 and Q5), and hit submit at the end of each section and we will receive your response. Use the same link if you want to come back later to answer questions across multiple meetings (you will not be able to see your previous answers).

Hint: You may wish to develop your answers in Word when you meet, and have a member of your team submit in Engage Vic when they are all completed. If you do this, make sure to check the character limit of your responses (all questions are limited to 1,000 characters).

Launch webinarWe recommend you attend the launch webinar scheduled on 7 August 2020 to hear an overview of the co-design process and to ask any questions you have about how the process works.

Registration link here.

Information you need to read before your team meets• This workbook (the content of this workbook is

replicated on the Engage Vic site)

• Discussion Paper

NB: DO NOT start answering the questions in the Engage Vic portal before meeting with your group. Each group must submit one set of answers.

https://engage.vic.gov.au/local-government-act-2020/integrated-strategic-planning-and-reporting-framework-workbook

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/lgv-connects-webinar-2-tickets-111398066616



A co-design conversation works best when people feel free to respectfully share their views and experience without being judged. Everyone needs to know that there are no right and wrong things to say and that everyone’s ideas are valuable.

These guidelines are designed to support respectfulness and diversity of views while getting to the crux of the issues in a meaningful way that draws on the experience of everyone in the team.

1 Duration and Timekeeping

Agree as a team how long the meeting will last and try to stick to that timeframe. It can help to nominate one member of the team to keep track of time.

2 Open Mindedness

A discussion is a two-way street and everyone brings different knowledge and experience to the conversation. This requires you to respectfully listen as well as talk, without speaking over the top of someone else. By focusing on listening, you may also benefit from the variety of ideas in the team.

3 Acceptance & Letting Go

Accept that others will have a different point of view from you. By encouraging an atmosphere of acceptance, people will be more likely to share their views. Diversity is a good thing. If people have different views, explore them and record the different points of view in your response!

4 Curiosity

Seek to understand rather than persuade. We’re not here to convince others that we are right and they are wrong. If someone expresses a point of view that seems different from yours, see if you can ask some questions to gain clarity or understanding.

5 Share the space

Go for honesty and depth but try to be concise. Don’t “go on and on” because it’s important that everyone has the chance to speak and share their experience. Be mindful of sharing the space equally between all participants.

guIdelInes for co-desIgn conversatIons


The remit is the core question for consideration. It is the overarching challenge that guides all other engagement questions in this workbook.

remIt

The strategic planning principles contained in the Local Government Act 2020 require councils to adopt an integrated approach to planning, monitoring and performance reporting. LGV has developed a draft integrated strategic planning and reporting framework (‘the framework’) for consideration by councils.

How do we make strategic planning and reporting more integrated so that it works better for councils and their communities?

Before you startAll participants should read the discussion paper prior to taking part in their team’s co-design conversation. When you meet as a group, discuss and record your answers to the core engagement questions in the Engage Vic portal (you will find the access instructions on p6).


Successful integrated strategic planning and reportingReflect and discuss your ideas about best practice integrated planning and reporting.

1.1 What would integrated planning and reporting ideally look like?

Please be concise (1,000 character limit)

Do not write into this box - submit your answer on the Engage Victoria portal

1.2 What would the ideal outcomes of integrated planning and reporting be?

(1,000 character limit)


Current situation: Integrated strategic planning and reportingConsider and discuss your council’s experience of integrated planning and reporting. What is working well and what is difficult at a council level? Specifically reflect on:

• ‘Tailwinds’ (things that help you plan in an integrated way) and

• ‘Roadblocks’ (things that hinder you planning and reporting in an integrated way)

2.1 What are the ‘tailwinds’ that help you plan and report in an integrated way? How can we use these tailwinds to make integrated planning and reporting better?

Current Tailwinds How can we use these better in the future?


core engagement questIons

1

2


2.2 What are ‘roadblocks’ that hinder integrated planning and reporting currently? How can we overcome these in the future?

Current Roadblocks How can we use these better in the future?


Improvements to the draft framework The draft framework is intended to be a reference document which councils can use and tailor to their needs. The key description of the framework is found in the Discussion Paper and reproduced below.

Discuss your ideas for improving the framework so that it works better as a reference document for all councils. List your ideas for improving the framework and why they are important.

3


3.1 What would you add, change or remove from the framework to make it a better reference document?

Ideas for improvement Why it is important


One idea per line

3.2 Do you have any ideas for improving the linkages between the various plans and elements in the framework? (e.g. Community vision, council plan, financial plan, asset plan, budget, revenue and rating plan, annual report, workforce plan)

Ideas for improvement Why it is important


One idea per line

‘Supports’ for integrated planning and reporting Think about what ‘supports’ your council will need in the future to improve its approach to integrated planning and reporting.

‘Supports’ in this context covers a range of elements such as guidance materials, regulations, models, training courses, or communities of practice. There is no set limit to this range of items that can be considered ‘supports’. Supports may be related to the overall framework or to specific individual elements of the framework (community vision, council plan, financial plan, asset management plan, four-year budget, revenue and rating plan, annual report, workforce plan).

List each support and a reason why this support is important.

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4.1 What ‘supports’ would enable councils to implement an improved, integrated approach to strategic planning and reporting?

Describe the ‘support’ needed Does the ‘support’ relate to the overall framework or to a specific element? Please name the element if relevant (e.g. council plan, asset plan)

Why is this support important?


One idea per line

4.2 Which ‘supports’ are most important?

Recognizing that there will be many ‘supports’ needed across the sector, consider as a team which ‘supports’ are most important. List your top three supports, and note if they relate to a specific element.

Prioritised ‘support’ Does this relate to a particular element? If so, which one? (eg. Council plan, asset plan)


1.

2.

3.

Feedback on specific elements of the frameworkIn this section, we ask you to read specific parts of the Discussion Paper that relate to the specific elements of the framework and provide your feedback to relevant questions for each element.

5.1 Community Vision

Council must develop, maintain, and review a Community Vision with its municipal community using deliberative engagement practices.

The Community Vision has an outlook of at least 10 years and describes the municipal community’s aspirations for the future of the municipality. It should describe the social, economic, cultural, and environmental aspirations for the future of the municipality.

For more information, see the Discussion Paper.

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5.1.1 In the context of an integrated planning framework, how might Councils ensure strategic planning addresses the Community Vision?


5.1.2 In the context of an integrated planning framework, how might Councils take into account regional, state, and national plans?


5.1.3 How can Councils engage with the whole community, all levels of government and other stakeholders to develop and deliver the Community Vision?


5.2 Council Plan

Council must prepare and adopt a Council Plan for a period of at least the next 4 financial years after a general election.

The Council Plan must include:

• the strategic direction of Council

• strategic objectives for achieving that direction

• strategies for achieving the objectives (for at least 4 years)

• strategic indicators for monitoring achievement

• description of initiatives and priorities for services, infrastructure, and amenity


5.2.1 What changes in Council Planning (i.e. process or format) will be driven by the new requirements for a Community Vision, Financial Plan and Asset Plan? How will the processes relate to each other?


5.2.2 How should ‘business as usual’ Council services and programs be recognised, described, or referenced in the Council Plan, if at all? If not in the Council Plan, where are these services and programs described in detail with information about intended recipients and quality, cost, and effectiveness standards?



5.3 Financial Plan

Council must develop, adopt, and keep in force a Financial Plan with an outlook of at least 10 years.

The Financial Plan must:

• describe the financial resources required to give effect to the Council Plan and other strategic plans of Council

• provide information about decisions and assumptions on which it is based

• outline any other resource requirements considered appropriate or contained in the regulations.

The Financial Plan defines the broad fiscal boundaries for the Council Plan, Asset Plan, other subordinate policies and strategies and budget processes.


5.3.1 How will the Financial Plan ensure that appropriate resources are available to give effect to the Council Plan, and the Council policy objectives, strategies and plans?


5.3.2 Should the Financial Plan be a constraining or enabling document, or both?


5.4 Asset Plan

Council must develop, adopt, and keep in force an Asset Plan. The Asset Plan has an outlook of at least 10 years.

The Asset Plan must include:

• information about maintenance, renewal, acquisition, expansion, upgrade, disposal, and decommissioning of each class of infrastructure under its control, and

• outline any other resource requirements considered appropriate

The Plan has a longer-term outlook (10+ years). It provides a view (both strategic and in financial terms) of how the Council proposes to manage the whole portfolio of assets that it owns and controls.


5.4.1 Is there a relationship between the Community Vision and the Asset Plan? If so, what is it?


5.4.2 What does an effective Asset Plan provide to the integrated planning and reporting process? How does it link to, or differ from Council’s asset management planning systems and processes?



5.5 Budget

Council must prepare and adopt a budget for each financial year and the subsequent three financial years. It is to be a ‘rolling’ Budget with an outlook of at least 4-years.

The Budget must:

• give effect to the Council Plan

• contain financial statements in the form required by the regulations (and accounting standards)

• provide a general description of services and initiatives to be funded

• identify major initiatives from the Council Plan that will be priorities for each financial year

• for services funded in the budget, the prescribed indicators, and measures of service performance

• total rate income and information on differential or fixed components of rates

• a statement on whether Council intends to apply for an increase or variation to the rate cap

The 4-year budget will outline how resources will be allocated across initiatives, programs, services, and capital works, as well as financing and debt redemption/servicing. It also provides a comprehensive outline of all income to be derived from rates, fees and charges, grants, and other revenue.


5.5.1 If the budget only contains a general high-level description of services, where does a Council maintain and publish a detailed description of services including quality and cost standards?


5.5.2 How does the budget demonstrate the delivery of services that offer good value, responsiveness to identified need and high standards of accessibility?


5.6 Revenue and Rating Plan

Council must prepare and adopt a Revenue and Rating Plan for a period of at least 4 financial years.


5.6.1 What does the Revenue and Rating Plan need to tell the community, and what should be included in it?


5.6.2 What other elements of the integrated planning and reporting framework does the Revenue and Rating Plan need to link to?



5.7 Annual Report

Council must prepare an annual report in respect of each financial year.

The annual report must contain:

• a report of operations of the Council

o statement of progress on implementation of the Council Plan (including strategic indicators)

o statement of progress in relation to major initiatives identified in the budget

o prescribed indicators, measures, and results achieved

• audited performance statement

o prescribed indicators, measures, and results achieved of service performance

o prescribed indicators, measures, and results achieved of financial performance

o prescribed indicators, measures, and results of sustainable capacity performance

• audited financial statements

• copy of the auditor’s report on the performance and financial statements


5.7.1 How does the Annual Report demonstrate progress towards delivery or achievement of desired outcomes because of Council investment?


5.7.2 Is the Annual Report a public relations tool or a genuine accountability and reporting tool?


5.8 Workforce Plan

The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for establishing and maintaining an organisation structure for the Council and is also responsible for all staffing matters, including appointing, directing, managing and dismissing members of Council staff under s46(3)(a) and (b).

Under s 46(4) the Chief Executive Officer must develop and maintain a workforce plan that:

• describes the organisational structure of the Council

• specifies the projected staffing requirements for a period of at least 4-years, and

• sets out measures to seek to ensure gender equality, diversity, and inclusiveness.


5.8.1 How does the Workforce Plan integrate with industrial obligations under relevant awards and enterprise agreements?



5.8.2 What other elements of the integrated planning and reporting framework does the Workforce Plan need to link to?


Round Two nominationsDeep dive co-design sessions will be held on specific topics of interest identified in Round 1. The purpose of the deep dive phase is to identify design principles and key ideas for each of the ‘supports’ or topics identified as priorities.

Round 2 co-design sessions will take place between 14 September and 1 October. Participants will be required to participate in one or more 2-hour workshop.

Please nominate at least one person from your team who is willing and available to participate in the Round 2 co-design. Depending on the topics chosen for the Round 2 co-designs, we may seek further nominations for people with specific expertise.

Nominated team member

Name:

Council:

Position area:

Years of experience:

Email:

6


Thank you for your assistance and involvement in helping to co-design an integrated approach to planning and reporting for the local government sector.

Please ensure your responses have been recorded in the Engage Vic portal.

The outputs of these small team co-design conversations will be collated, analysed and compiled into a report. A copy of this report will be placed on the Engage Vic website. Key themes that emerge from the small team conversations will be explored further in the Round 2 co-design deep dive workshops. Your input has been highly valuable in helping the sector to co-design its approach.

Watch out for the report back webinar in October 2020 to see the outcomes of the co-design sessions.

thank you

Jobs,Precinctsand Regions

Documents

Local Government Victoria Co-designing Integrated Strategic ......The strategic planning principles in the Local Government Act require Councils to “take an integrated approach to