SALGA WC PEC ENGAGEMENT WEST COAST DISTRICT MUNICIPALITIES 17 OCTOBER 2013 ADV H LINDE BERGRIVIER MUNICIPALITY

PRESENTATION MANDATE Functioning of Ward Committee Institutionalisation of ward committee members Public participation beyond ward committees

COMPOSITION OF THE BERGRIVIER MUNICIPALITY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATIONCOMMUNITY Working together for a better Bergrivier

1.Verwelkoming Council AdminCommunity Tourism Agriculture Business Religion Education Arts and Culture Sport Other sectors: Safety and Security; Social Development; Environment and Climate Change; Health; Media/Communication and Others (Animal Welfare) INSIDE THE COMMUNITY CIRCLE

PUBLIC MEETINGS SECTOR ENGAGEMENTS WARD COMMITTEES IDP REPRESENTATIVE FORUM COMPOSITION OF THE COMMUNITY FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PURPOSES

PUBLIC MEETINGS Public meetings are held in each town at least twice a year. In previous years meetings were held in each ward and town resulting in 11 meetings per series. This year we reduced it to 7 in order to promote integration of towns and save on resources. In September an IDP Review meeting is held to provide the community with feedback on progress made with the implementation of the current years IDP and to review the community’s needs and priorities for the next IDP Review. In April a draft Budget and IDP Review meeting is held where the above documents are presented for public input.

SECTOR ENGAGEMENTS Sector engagements were implemented to address the following challenges: – Ward Committees are not fully representative of all sectors – Sectors were not organised and were unable to talk to the Municipality and other stakeholders from a unified perspective – The same sectors are operational in different towns but did not work together for the benefit of the Bergrivier Municipal Area – Related sectors did not communicate with one another The Municipal area was divided into 14 sectors and a public invitation was issued to organisations to register on our sector engagement database.

SECTOR ENGAGEMENTS SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT HEALTHAGRICULTURE ARTS AND CULTURE SPORTMEDIARELIGION EDUCATION AND TRAINING BUSINESS AND FISHERIES TOURISMENVIRONMENTSAFETYYOUTHAGED

SECTOR ENGAGEMENTS The Municipal Manager is in process of engaging with each sector on an individual basis. In order to alleviate the problem of more meetings for all stakeholders, engagements are designed to fit in with existing structures eg all Circuit Headmasters meet on a regular basis and the Municipal Manager’s sector engagement becomes part of that agenda. The following are the envisaged outcomes: – Each sector will establish an umbrella body which will be the mouthpiece of the sector when dealing with the Municipality (this is especially important for the IDP review process) – Joint planning and development of the Bergrivier Municipal Area The process is proving to be very successful.

WARD COMMITTEES Ward Committees were established for all seven wards. Ward Committees are elected on a sector and geographic basis A challenge is that there are 14 sectors within the Municipal Area and the Ward Committee may only have 10 members. In addition, not all sectors are equally active within each ward. Six of the seven are functional, but challenges are experienced in Ward 5. The challenges are attributable to the rural nature and political instability within this ward. This Ward Committee will be fully functional by the end of the year. Ward Committees meet on a quarterly basis, but if necessary they meet more often. Ward Committee members are involved in projects that are rolled out in the various towns eg Madiba Day, Wonderbag roll out for World Environment Day etc.

WARD COMMITTEES Ward Committees most important role is their participation in the IDP Review and budget process: – During September an IDP Review meeting is held to review the community’s priorities and reassess priorities for submission at the IDP Review public meetings – During April a draft Budget and IDP Review meeting is held to solicit inputs on the draft documents. This meeting takes place about a week after the public IDP Review / Budget meetings to give ward committee members time to liaise within their sectors. These inputs are then considered by the Budget Steering Committee. Ward Committees are also the basis of the Neighbourhood Development Planning Process and 2 of our Ward Committees participated in the development of such a plan for Porterville this year and another Ward Committee will participate in the development of a neighbourhood development plan for Noordhoek (Velddrif) early next year.

IDP Forum Meeting 19 September 2013 Agriculture, Business and Tourism Sectors Challenge: Getting the right mix of people and strategic level representatives

IDP REPRESENTATIVE FORUM IDP Representative Forum meets at least twice a year. The IDP Representative Forum is a platform for sector representatives and Ward Committee representatives to plan for the development of Bergrivier Municipality in a holistic manner. Provincial Departments and the WCDM are invited to these engagements, but securing attendance is still a challenge In September an IDP Review meeting is held to provide sectors with feedback on progress made with the implementation of the current years IDP and to review sector needs and priorities. In April a draft Budget and IDP Review meeting is held where the above documents are presented for sector input.

Challenges Ward Committee system not link to real sector representatives. Timing of District and Provincial IDP Forums (not in time to present feedback to the public) Level of representatives at IDP Forums Non-attendance from District and Province at Forum meetings

Thank you Questions/Comments Adv Hanlie Linde Municipal Manager Bergrivier Municipality /