Planning and Development Department

Administration

Planning and Development

	Background Introduction Objectives Key Focus Areas Management Contact Details
	Background
	Lack of coordination within the local sphere of government has led to implementation inconsistencies and in poor service delivery in some cases. The District Planning Unit (DPU) understands that planning, coordination and performance management are interrelated and cannot be separated if the objectives of strategic operational planning are to be achieved. The unit is concerned with planning matters identified, including preparation of physical plans and policies/guidelines, as well as the monitoring of the impact of the implementation thereof on a high strategic level. The district planning unit further understands that the Green Paper on National Strategic Planning addresses mainly high level national strategic planning and that operational and infrastructural planning belongs at the local sphere of government, although plans take account of the broader national plan. The unit shall commission research where necessary and make proposals on targets and milestones for the purposes of the national strategic plan. It is hoped that the present initiative to establish a planning unit may lead to a more successful outcome and especially to strengthen local authorities to be capable of addressing and solving the problems related to human needs and land use.
	Introduction
	An improved approach should call for integrated planning for sustainable development. The system should satisfy the following specific needs: Improvement and strengthening of planning, management, monitoring; evaluation; implementation and delivery of services Strengthening institutions and coordinating mechanisms between those institutions Creation of mechanisms to facilitate the satisfaction of the needs and objectives of communities and people at local level, through service delivery The development of policies which will result in the best use and sustainable management of land The Department should thus ensure that: Development and developmental programmes are holistic and comprehensive, so that all factors in relation to land resources and environmental conservation are addressed and included. In considering competing needs for land, and in selecting the "best" use for a given area of land, all possible land-use options must be considered; All activities and inputs are integrated and coordinated with each other, combining the inputs of all disciplines and groups; All actions are based on a clear understanding of the natural and legitimate objectives and needs of individual land users to obtain maximum consensus; Institutional structures are put in place to develop, debate and carry out proposals. It is further acknowledged that a concerted focus on strategic operational planning and more coordination are some of the interventions required to remedy what did not work well. A need for strengthening the coordination among the local spheres of government is proposed in order to drive collective action towards improved service delivery. It is further acknowledged that The Department must also identify and rectify institutional weaknesses in Local Government to ensure municipal financial viability and sustainability. In order for the unit to succeed in its endeavours, a partnership between public and private sector, as well as active public participation is required. By and large, extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders and agencies within the district is envisaged. The Department acknowledges that the national strategic planning will be informed by our local plans (IPD – Integrated Development Plan) and that the local sphere will ensure that there is coherence in intergovernmental planning as stated in the Constitution, Particularly Section 41 (1). However the formulation of Policies and assessments of the true nature and condition of Local Municipalities will be time consuming. Mission: Increased efficiency in the use of land and resources used in planning; and drafting of plans that are realistic, acceptable and possible to implement; and to guide Council on all strategic medium and long term planning matters.
	Objectives
	The objective of the unit will be to develop principles and norms aimed at achieving sustainability, equality, efficiency, fairness and good governance in spatial planning and land use management as well as infrastructural planning and delivery. The decisions of planning authorities, whether related to the formulation of plans such as IDPs or the consideration of land development applications such as rezoning, or the planning and implementation of infrastructure must all be consistent with these principles and norms. The unit must be cautious not to fall into the trap of getting involved with operational issues applicable to other departments in the institution and should therefore focus on planning matters. The objective of the principles and norms is to influence directly, the long term substantive outcomes of planning decisions, whether they relate to spatial development; land-use management; or decisions on land use change or development applications, including the delivery of services to all communities. The overall aim of the principles and norms is to achieve planning outcomes that: Restructure spatially inefficient settlements Promote the sustainable use of the resources in the country Channel resources to areas of greatest need and development potential, thereby redressing the inequitable historical treatment of marginalized areas Take into account the fiscal, institutional and administrative capacities of role players, the needs of communities and the environment Stimulate economic development opportunities in rural and urban areas Support an equitable protection of rights to and in land. Promote and guide rural development and the upliftment of rural communities Promote and guide infrastructural delivery and the efficient use of resources Provide medium and long term planning guidelines Provide accountable spatial planning, land use management and land development decision-making and infrastructure delivery by organs of state; Promote cooperative governance and wider information sharing in plan-making and implementation; Support maximum openness and transparency in decision making Provide strategic medium- and long term planning solutions
	Key Focus Areas
	Planning Ensure medium and long term planning in the District, both on regional and local level, within the context of the national planning issues identified, with specific focus on the following subjects of planning: Municipal services and infrastructure Energy production and consumption Spatial Development Planning Local Economic Development Financial Viability and Management Social Development Institutional Development and Transformation Human Resource Development Ensure coordinated and integrated development planning on both district and local level, reflecting relevant issues from the national planning principles To ensure the bottom-up and top down approach to planning in order to influence the formulation and implementation of national policy and strategies To ensure the implementation of a structured process in the District to act as an early warning system to identify issues requiring immediate attention To ensure the implementation of appropriate and technologically advanced systems to provide relevant information to guide decision-making Research and Development To commission research on a specific subject if and when necessary To formulate, influence or review policy and strategy To assess and influence resource allocation (including capital infrastructure investment) in terms of value for money, sustainability, appropriateness and affordability To conduct research on new technology and investigate and apply National and International best practices. Monitoring and Evaluation To ensure the monitoring and evaluation of the impact of strategies and policies implemented on both district and local level with respect to achieving long term goals. Communication and Coordination The Planning Department will use existing structures in the organization to communicate the outcome of studies and work conducted by the Department to the communities and other stakeholders. Resource Requirements Sufficient resources are required for the Department/Structure with regard to funding, equipment and administrative support to come to its full potential. The Structure of the Planning Unit The Department will consist of the following specialized disciplines which all fall in the scarce skills category: Town and Regional Planning Civil Engineering Geographical Information Management Integrated Development Planning Performance Management The following specialized functions will be drawn in on an ad hoc basis for research on specific topics: Environmental Specialist Finance and Economist Climatologist Human resources and Skills Development Local Economic Development A full time Administrator with expertise knowledge on information management and software applications will be required for the unit. QUOTE FROM THE GREENPAPER “There is a feed back loop between monitoring and evaluation, and planning. Performance monitoring and evaluation will assess progress, identify constraints, weaknesses and failure in implementation, and effect mechanisms of correction or enhancement”.
	Management Contact Details