Under the Local Government Act 2009 part of a councillor’s role is to take part in formulating, adopting and reviewing the local government’s corporate and operational plans, policies and goals and to make decisions about the best way to achieve these goals and implement the policies.

Councillors set the strategic direction for their local government, as well as the policies and decisions to help achieve them. Preparation of the corporate plan is a significant responsibility of councillors.

As councillors undertake these tasks, they are expected to apply the principles of the Act to achieve the local government’s corporate and community plans.

Legislation extract

• Local Government Act 2009 – s12 Responsibilities of councillors

   

  12 Responsibilities of councillors (1) A councillor must represent the current and future interests of the residents of the local government area. (2) All councillors of a local government have the same responsibilities, but the mayor has some extra responsibilities. (3) All councillors have the following responsibilities— (a) ensuring the local government— (i) discharges its responsibilities under this Act; and (ii) achieves its corporate and community plans; and (iii) complies with all laws that apply to local governments; (b) providing high quality leadership to the local government and the community; (c) participating in council meetings, policy development, and decision making, for the benefit of the local government area; (d) being accountable to the community for the local government’s performance.

• Local Government Act 2009 – s104 Financial management, planning and accountability documents

   

  104 Financial management, planning and accountability documents (1) The following documents of a local government must comply with the requirements prescribed under a regulation— (a) the financial management documents; (b) the planning and accountability documents. (2) The financial management documents include the following documents— (a) an annual budget; (b) a general purpose financial statement; (c) a long-term financial forecast; (d) an asset register that records— (i) capital expenditure; and (ii) depreciation charges; and (iii) revaluation increments and decrements; (e) a revenue statement. (3) The planning and accountability documents include the following documents— (a) an annual report; (b) a 5-year corporate plan; (c) an annual operational plan; (d) a long-term community plan; (e) a financial plan; (f) a long-term asset management plan; (g) a report on the results of an annual review of the implementation of the annual operational plan, 5-year corporate plan and long-term community plan. (4) A long-term community plan is a document that— (a) outlines the local government’s goals, strategies and policies for implementing the local government’s vision for the future of the local government area, during the period covered by the plan; and (b) covers a period of at least 10 years after the commencement of the plan. (5) A financial plan is a document that— (a) outlines the local government’s goals, strategies and policies for managing the local government’s finances, during the period covered by the plan, including the following policies— (i) an investment policy; (ii) a debt policy; (iii) a revenue policy; and (b) covers a period of at least 10 years after the commencement of the plan. (6) A long-term asset management plan is a document that— (a) outlines the local government’s policies and strategies for ensuring the sustainable management of the local government’s assets and infrastructure, during the period covered by the plan; and (b) covers a period of at least 10 years after the commencement of the plan. (7) A local government must annually conduct, and report on the results of, a review of the implementation of the local government’s annual operational plan, 5-year corporate plan and long-term community plan.