Title: The community outcomes process and mediated modelling

Authors: Vicky Forgie, Emma Richardson

Addresses: New Zealand Centre for Ecological Economics, Private Bag 11052, Palmerston North, New Zealand. ' Marlborough District Council, PO Box 443, Blenheim 7240, New Zealand

Abstract: To promote the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of communities, the New Zealand Local Government Act 2002 requires local authorities to produce a Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP). The LTCCP covers a ten-year period and focuses on the preferred future and vision of the community. This desired future is referred to in the Act as the |community outcomes|. Local authorities are required to engage the public, different stakeholder groups, central government and non-governmental agencies in the development of community outcomes. Given the range of people, interest groups and government agencies involved, local authorities are being challenged to think of effective and innovative ways to address diverse and sometimes conflicting goals when deciding community outcomes. Mediated modelling is a tool that facilitates the involvement of groups of people in planning and decision-making processes.

Keywords: community outcomes; Long Term Council Community Plan; mediated modelling; public involvement; public participation; New Zealand; well-being; planning; decision making.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2007.017910

International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2007 Vol.10 No.4, pp.365 - 381

Published online: 22 Apr 2008 *

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