Significance & Engagement Policy
1.0
Purpose of Policy
The purpose of this policy is to set out the Council's approach to determining the significance of matters on which it makes decisions, and to broadly guide the engagement approach and decision making to be undertaken, proportionate to the significance of the issue.
2.0
Determining the Degree of Significance
Significance is a continuum ranging from very low degrees of significance (not important) to very high degrees of significance (very important or critical). Where a decision has a high degree of significance, it will be ‘significant'. The level of significance of a decision, including whether or not it is significant, will influence the approach the Council undertakes in engaging with the community and obtaining community views. Certain types of decisions will be deemed to be significant. For all other decisions, the Council will determine significance based on a number of criteria. These deemed decisions and criteria are described in the following sections.
(A) Deemed significant decisions
In addition, the following types of decisions will be deemed to be significant if they are not already explicitly provided for in the Council's long term plan and have been specifically consulted on as part of the long term plan consultation document: •
Any decision to transfer ownership or control, or dispose of, or abandon, a strategic asset;
•
A decision to significantly alter the intended service level for any significant activity.
(B) Criteria for other decisions In determining the level of significance for any other issue, proposal, decision or other matter under this policy, Council will be guided by the following criteria: •
The number of people affected;
•
The extent of the consequence;
•
The financial implications for the Council’s overall resources;
•
The level of public interest;
•
Reversibility, how easily a decision can be undone; and
•
The consistency of the matter with existing Council policy, plans and documents.
Each of these criteria will be assessed to form a general understanding of the degree of significance and importance of the decision. A single criterion in isolation is not necessarily determinative of significance. LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE Not of Significance
Moderate Significance
High Degree of Significance
A decision will be deemed significant if it exceeds either of the following thresholds: •
It incurs operational expenditure exceeding 5.0% of the Council’s consolidated annual operating budget for that year.
•
Incurs new capital expenditure on any one proposal in the first three years of the Council’s plan, exceeding 10% of Council’s consolidated annual capital budget for that year.
LONG TERM PLAN 2021-2031 HASTINGS DISTRICT COUNCIL // 27
