21 April 2005

Ministry and Council Collaborate in Vision Rodney

Rodney District Council and the Ministry of Social Development have signed a three year partnership agreement that will see the two work together to help achieve the outcomes identified in Vision Rodney.

The Mayor of Rodney John Law said that the agreement represented a logical progression from the 2003 Alliance Agreement with Work and Income Auckland.

That had a focus of creating work opportunities and addressing unemployment within the District. This agreement now encompasses the full range of services provided by a Government ministry with an operating budget of $789 million and responsibilities for transfer payments totaling $13.9 billion.

Mr Law said the agreement formalised an existing positive collaborative relationship supporting Vision Rodney and social and economic development in Rodney. The Ministry and Council would now be working collaboratively to achieve agreed outcomes identified in Vision Rodney.

“We’ll align the strategic and business planning outcomes that each organisation has for better service delivery to Rodney residents, no matter their income, age or locality.”

“In Vision Rodney, residents and ratepayers have told us how important belonging to safe, active and caring communities is to them. That’s one of the aspects of life in Rodney that’s highly prized and therefore of a very high priority in Council’s operations.

“The partnership is a further step in delivering a ‘joined-up government’ approach between local and central government. The Ministry is a pioneer of the same approach at the central government service level,” the Mayor said.

Activity contracted to the Rodney Economic Development Trust is included in this agreement with the Ministry. The parties to the agreement are the Ministry of Social Development (Auckland), comprising Work and Income, Family and Community Services and regional policy staff.

ENDS

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