The purpose of this document is to highlight good practice that is occurring in the sector. By encouraging more effective working relationships between health and local government agencies, it should develop more efficient action at a local and regional level to support people adopting healthier lifestyles.
Role of local authorities and other organisations in community wellbeing
Local authorities frequently both undertake activities influencing public health and wellbeing and facilitate or support similar activities done by others. These roles vary among local authorities and the roles of regional councils and territorial authorities are likely to differ in most cases.
Local government has core responsibilities in some activities that are discussed in section 2. In other areas local authorities may have picked up roles as leaders, supporters, communicators or facilitators because of their local strengths and abilities to link to other people and projects. They often work in partnership with health agencies, other government and non-government organisations, business leaders and the community.
Organisations working in the community may have similar aims or be able to use their tools or networks to complement each other’s aims. Activity to promote outcomes in one area of wellbeing often has flow-on effects in other areas of wellbeing. Bringing together difference skill sets and perspectives can also help strengthen planning. Support for joint work can provide opportunities to support other work, identify potential tensions, make better use of resources and improve community outcomes across more than one area.
Local authorities and their communities have varying strengths, community outcomes and priorities. They also have differing roles and activities. However, local authorities can directly consider demographic diversity and cultural influences and establish relationships with iwi/Māori, ethnic and age-based groups, community and business groups, and other influencers in their community.
Purpose
The purpose of this document is to highlight local government contribution to wellbeing in New Zealand and include good practice examples that are occurring in the sector. It is not a comprehensive review of everything local authorities do to benefit public health; it acknowledges the multiplicity of roles local authorities have and the work they participate in (including work with other partners).
Methodology
This document refers to previous documents related to the role of local government roles in public health including:
- The Public Health Role of Local Government (Public Health Group 1996)
- Emerging Issues for Public Health in New Zealand: Discussion Paper (Public Health Advisory Committee 2004)
- Local Government New Zealand’s submission on Emerging Issues for Public Health in New Zealand (LGNZ 2004d)
- opinion papers prepared for the Public Health Advisory Committee in 2004 (for example Megan Courtney’s (2004) paper on the future interface between public health and local government).
Examples and feedback have also been drawn from the literature, websites, meetings and discussions with key informants. Organisations that have contributed to the document are noted in the acknowledgements page iii.