Introduction
Local municipalities in South Africa have to use "integrated development planning" as a method to plan future development in their areas. Apartheid planning left the country with cities and towns that have racially divided business and residential areas; do not cater for the poor; have substantial differences in level of services; have sprawling informal settlements and spread out residential areas that make cost effective service delivery challenging; and rural areas that were left underdeveloped and largely unserviced.
What is Integrated Development Planning?
Integrated Development Planning is a process through which municipalities prepare a strategic development plan, for a five year period. The Integrated Development Plan (IDP) is a product of the integrated development planning process. The IDP is a principal strategic planning instrument which guides and informs all planning, budgeting, management and decision-making in a municipality.
What is the legal status of an IDP?
According to the Municipal Systems Act of 2000 all municipalities (i.e. Metros, District Municipalities and Local Municipalities) have to undertake an integrated development planning process to produce integrated development plans (IDPs). As the IDP is a legislative requirement it has a legal status and it supersedes all other plans that guide development at local government level.
What is the lifespan of an IDP?
According to the Municipal Systems Act, every new council that comes into office after the local government elections has to prepare its own IDP which will guide them for the five years that they are in office. The IDP is therefore linked to the term of office of councillors. The new council has the option either to adopt the IDP of its predecessor should it feel appropriate to do so or develop a new IDP taking into consideration already existing planning documents.
How long does it take to complete the process?
Integrated development planning is a very interactive and participatory process which requires the involvement of a number of stakeholders. Because of its participatory nature it takes a municipality approximately 6 – 9 months to complete an IDP and this timing is closely related to the municipal budgeting cycle. However, during this period delivery and development is not at a standstill, it continues. The IDP is reviewed annually which results in the amendment of the plan should this be necessary.
What are the core components of the IDP?
The IDP is made up of the following core components:
- The analysis
An assessment of the existing level of development, which includes identification of communities with no access to basic services.
- Development strategies
- The municipality’s vision (including internal transformation needs).
- The council’s development priorities and objectives.
- The council’s development strategies.
- Project identification
- Projects
During this phase the municipality works on the design and content of projects that have been identified. Clear details for each project has to be worked out in terms of:
- Who is going to benefit from the project?
- How much is it going to cost?
- How is this project going to be funded?
- How long would it take to complete?
- Who is going to manage the project?
Clear targets must be set and indicators worked out to measure performance as well as the impact of individual projects.
- Integration
All the development plans must now be integrated into an overall IDP which incorporates among others
- A spatial development framework.
- Disaster management plan.
- Integrated financial plan (both capital and operational budget).
- Other integrated programmes.
- Key Performance Indicators and performance targets.
- Approval
The IDP is presented to the council for consideration and adoption. The Council may adopt a draft for public comment before approving a finalised IDP.
Who is responsible for managing the process?
Integrated Development Planning is not just about spatial planning and therefore its management should not be delegated to the municipal Planning Department or to consultants. It is a mechanism to manage the affairs of the municipality and its municipal area, and hence holds a very high status within a municipality. In terms of the Municipal Systems Act, 2000, the Executive Committee or Executive Mayor has the responsibility to manage the preparation of the IDP or assign this responsibility to the municipal manager. In most municipalities, the IDP coordinator, linked and reporting directly to the office of the municipal manager and the Executive Committee or Mayor, is appointed to manage the process.
Why is it necessary to do IDPs?
Preparing an IDP is a legal requirement in terms of the Municipal Systems Act (MSA). That however is not the only reason why municipalities must prepare the plans. In terms of the Constitution, municipalities have been accorded major developmental responsibilities to ensure that the quality of life for its citizens is improved. The new role for local government includes provision of basic services, creation of jobs, promoting democracy and accountability and eradication of poverty. Preparing and having the IDP therefore enables the municipality to be able to manage the process of fulfilling its developmental responsibilities.
Through the IDP, the municipality is informed about the problems affecting its municipal area and, guided by information on available resources, is able to develop and implement appropriate strategies and projects to address the problems.
Some of the reasons why every municipality should have an IDP include:
It helps to make more effective use of scarce resources by:
- Focusing on identified and prioritised local needs taking into consideration local resources;
- Searching for more cost-effective solutions; and
- Addressing causes, rather than just allocating capital expenditure for dealing with symptoms.
It helps to speed up delivery by:
- Providing a tool which guides where investment should occur;
- Obtaining the buy-in of all relevant role-players for implementation;
- Providing deadlock breaking decision-mechanisms; and
- Arriving at realistic project proposals taking into consideration limited resources.
It helps to attract additional funds:
- A clear municipal development plan inspires confidence in existing and potential investors, public and private
It helps to strengthen democracy and hence institutional transformation because decisions are made in a democratic and transparent manner, rather than by a few influential individuals.
It helps to overcome apartheid legacy at local level by:
- Promoting among others integration of rural and urban areas, different socio-economic groups, places where people live and work; and
- Facilitating redistribution of resources in a consultative process.
It promotes intergovernmental coordination by:
- Facilitating a system of communication and coordination between local, provincial and national spheres of government.
Who are the stakeholders in the IDP process?
- Municipality
The IDP guides the development plans of the local municipality.
- Councillors
The IDP gives councillors an opportunity to make decisions based on the needs and aspirations of their constituencies.
- Communities and other stakeholders
The IDP is based on community needs and priorities. Communities have the chance to participate in identifying their most important needs.
The IDP process encourages all stakeholders who reside and conduct business within a municipal area to participate in the preparation and implementation of the development plan.
- National and provincial sector departments
Many government services are delivered by provincial and national government departments at local level. For instance, policing services; health, schooling. Municipalities must take into account the programmes and policies of these departments. The departments should participate in the IDP process so that they can be guided how to use their resources to address local needs.
Services
Mzaidume Consulting and its associates has a wealth of expertise and experience in the development, implementation, monitoring and review of IDPs.