Integrated Development Plan

Administration

	Who are the Stakeholders in the IDP process? Why is it necessary to develop an IDP? What is Integrated Development Planning? Management Contact Details
	What is Integrated Development Planning?
	Local municipalities in South Africa have to use "integrated development planning" as a method to plan future development in their areas. Apartheid planning left us with cities and towns that: Have racially divided business and residential areas Are badly planned to cater for the poor - with long travelling distances to work and poor access to business and other services. Have great differences in level of services between rich and poor areas Have sprawling informal settlements and spread out residential areas that make cheap service delivery difficult. Rural areas were left underdeveloped and largely unserviced. The new approach to local government has to be developmental and aim to overcome the poor planning of the past. Integrated Development Planning is an approach to planning that involves the entire municipality and its citizens in finding the best solutions to achieve good long-term development. An Integrated Development Plan (IDP) is a super plan for an area that gives an overall framework for development. It aims to co-ordinate the work of local and other spheres of government in a coherent plan to improve the quality of life for all the people living in an area. It should take into account the existing conditions and problems and resources available for development. The plan should look at economic and social development for the area as a whole. It must set a framework for how land should be used, what infrastructure and services are needed and how the environment should be protected All municipalities have to produce an Integrated Development Plan (IDP). The municipality is responsible for the co-ordination of the IDP and must draw in other stakeholders in the area who can impact on and/or benefit from development in the area. Once the IDP is drawn up all municipal planning and projects should happen in terms of the IDP. The annual council budget should be based on the IDP. Other government departments working in the area should take the IDP into account when making their own plans. It should take 6 to 9 months to develop an IDP. During this period, service delivery and development continues. Review: The IDP is reviewed every year and necessary changes can be made. Lifespan: The IDP has a lifespan of 5 years that is linked directly to the term of office for local councillors. After every local government elections, the new council has to decide on the future of the IDP. The council can adopt the existing IDP or develop a new IDP that takes into consideration existing plans. Management: The executive committee or executive mayors of the municipality have to manage the IDP. They may assign this responsibility to the municipal manager. In most municipalities, the IDP manager /co-ordinator is appointed to oversee the process. The IDP manager/co-ordinator reports directly to the municipal manager and the executive committee or the executive mayor. The IDP has to be drawn up in consultation with forums and stakeholders. The final IDP document has to be approved by the council. THE FOLLOWING GOVERNMENT ACTS & PRINCIPLES GUIDE THE IDP PROCESSES Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 Municipal Structures Act, 117 of 1998 White Paper on Local Government (1998) Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996) Municipal Finance Management Act, 53 of 2003 Batho Pele Principles Draft IDP [5 Year Strategy] for 2010/2011 Now Availalabe. Download Here (18MB)
	Why is it necessary to develop an IDP?
	There are six main reasons why a municipality should have an IDP: 1. Effective use of scarce resources The IDP will help the local municipality focus on the most important needs of local communities taking into account the resources available at local level. The local municipality must find the most cost-effective ways of providing services and ensuring that money is spent on the main causes of problems in local areas. For example, a municipality may decide to allocate resources to building a canal that will prevent homes being damaged during the flood season. This will reduce the financial burden placed on the municipality’s emergency services. 2. It helps to speed up delivery The IDP identifies the least serviced and most impoverished areas and points to where municipal funds should be spent. Implementation is made easier because the relevant stakeholders have been part of the planning process. The IDP provides deadlock-breaking mechanisms to ensure that projects and programmes are efficiently implemented and it helps to develop realistic project proposals based on the availability of resources. 3. It helps to attract additional funds Government departments and private investors are willing to invest where municipalities have clear development plans. 4. Strengthens democracy Through the active participation of all the important stakeholders, decisions are made in a democratic and transparent manner. 5. Helps to overcome the legacy of apartheid Municipal resources are used to integrate rural and urban areas and to extend basic services to the poor. 6. Promotes co-ordination between local, provincial and national government The different spheres of government are encouraged to work in a co-ordinated manner to tackle the development needs in a local area. For example: If the Department of Health plans to build a clinic in an area. It has to check that the municipality can provide services like water and sanitation for the effective functioning of the clinic.
	Who are the Stakeholders in the IDP process?
	The Municipality The IDP guides the development plans of the local municipality. Councillors The IDP gives councillors an opportunity to make decisions based on the needs and aspirations of their constituencies. Communities and other stakeholders The IDP is based on community needs and priorities. Communities have the chance to participate in identifying their most important needs. The IDP process encourages all stakeholders who reside and conduct business within a municipal area to participate in the preparation and implementation of the development plan. National and provincial sector departments Many government services are delivered by provincial and national government departments at local level, for example: police stations, clinics and schools. Municipalities must take into account the programmes and policies of these departments. The departments should participate in the IDP process so that they can be guided on how to use their resources to address local needs.
	Management Contact Details