What is ‘Community infrastructure’?
Posted on Friday, July 30th, 2010 | Posted in Local Government | Comments OffLast week we made an oral submission to the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Local Government Amendment Bill.
This Bill includes an attempt to define ‘core services’ for local authorities, and specifies them as a rather odd list of both specific and general functions—including ‘community infrastructure’.
We submitted that it is an impossible task to define a universally, useful list of core services. We suggested that the current ‘power of general competence’ should stand, which means that local government has the authority to decide its own activities within the defined purpose of a broad role in promoting the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of their communities, taking a sustainable development approach.
We were asked specifically that if the core services approach is maintained, would we support the term ‘community infrastructure’? We responded that it is a very general term and not defined in the Bill which could lead to misunderstandings and mixed expectations. So, we were asked (and agreed) to go back with a suggestion of how we would define it.
Our initial thoughts that it includes two major features:
a. community and economic development and advisory services, and
b. grants for community-based activities.
Perhaps we should also suggest a less confusing term, such as ‘core community services’? What do you think? We welcome your thoughts and suggestions!