Nelson City Council’s Te Parikaranga, lwi Engagement Platform initiative has been named a national finalist in the social wellbeing category of the Local Government NZ (LGNZ) EXCELLENCE Awards 2022.
The project is one of eight finalists in the Kāinga Ora Homes and Communities EXCELLENCE Award for Social Wellbeing.
This project aims to make iwi engagement ‘business as usual’ for council staff, with a new approach streamlining processes and empowering iwi to determine their parameters.
Te Parikaranga is a digital communications platform co-designed by the council and the eight iwi of Te Tauihu o Te Waka a Maui.
Multinational company Datacom engaged with Nelson City Council in creating the engagement platform based on Sharepoint.
The tool allows staff to raise engagement requests, centralise information and allow iwi to determine their engagement priorities, saving time and money on projects, and ultimately strengthening true and practical partnerships.
The judging panel said the council had used technology to create an effective tool to better connect and engage iwi and the council.
Twenty-one finalists for four awards have been named, with the winners to be announced at the LGNZ Fulton Hogan Conference Dinner in Palmerston North on Friday, July 22.
The awards, now in their eighth year, recognise and celebrate the key leadership role local government provides, and the work it undertakes to promote and grow the wellbeing of communities throughout New Zealand.
LGNZ President Stuart Crosby says the national finalists exemplify the outstanding service and value that local councils provide in supporting the environmental, economic, social and cultural wellbeing of communities.
“Councils provide far more than vital infrastructure such as water and wastewater management, rubbish collection and roading. They also work tirelessly, often behind the scenes, to deliver projects that engage and enrich their communities
“The 2022 finalists exemplify the value of building strong partnerships to develop and deliver solutions and services that support the wellbeing of millions of New Zealanders.
“A common denominator among them is a focus on strong communication and consultation, involving their communities in the planning and decision-making process.”
The full list of finalists can be viewed here.
