Northland Ratepayers: Discussion Paper

2018-10-19

Following the Inaugural combined meeting of Northland Ratepayer Associations held in Kaikohe on Sunday the 14th of October 2014

Discussion Paper

OPTIONS for consideration in establishing a NZ Ratepayers Alliance or some other organisation, company, body (or entity)

(Comments sent to : ratepayersandresidents@gmail.com will be forwarded on through our network for discussion - and can be added to a page linked to this one)

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

• • • An idea - some early steps (a Northland Alliance)

    • Convening a meeting  hosting a Conference

    • A DRAFT Constitution emerges

    • Northland - Back up the truck

CHOICES TO BE MADE

PRINCIPLES

To inform the establishment and operation of a national ratepayers body/entity

Consider membership of Asstns and/or individuals and/or corporate (etc) – representation – mandate – powers – processes – procedures – responsibilities - autonomy of existing R&R Asstns, and any regional alliances.

ACTIVITIES

• • • What would a national Ratepayers Alliance work on? Consider ‘scope of work’ or brief(s)

    • How will it conduct its activities? Consider roles, functionality and/or structure

    • Are there priorities among these activities? Consider one or many and how to rank

    • Can some activities be considered ancillary to others? Consider sequencing – what must be done first, second, third on the road to undertaking X actions. For example, advocacy might be an ancillary activity arising out of informing others of findings of research, or about case studies (various potential audiences)

Funding of Activities (of a NZRA or RAoNZ)

• • • What are the likely ‘costs’ of these activities? Consider scaling - smaller to large

    • How could these activities be funded? Consider all potential sources of funding

    • Are there identifiable income streams or could a ratepayers Org/Co/Inc. Soc stimulate income streams? Identify self-funding activities (cost-recovery) vs those able to generate income and those attracting cost

    • Who are the beneficiaries of these activities or where do the benefits fall?

    • Are there customers or potential clients?

    • Value adding opportunities?

OBJECTIVES

• • What are these activities intending to achieve (for Ratepayers and/or Ratepayer Asstns)

  • Identify possible goals (SMART goals)

PURPOSE(s) - given the array of objectives, goals and principles informing modus operandi

ORGANISATION STRUCTURES

Characteristics of different structures

• • Unincorporated group

  • Informal alliance

  • Incorporated Society (not for profit or registered as charitable)

  • Community Trust (not for profit or registered as charitable)

  • Company (for profit)

  • Provident Society

Considerations

• • For Profit vs Not for profit vs Charitable?

  • Being political AND Charitable

  • Public benefit and charitable purpose(s)

  • Advocacy for causes

BUSINESS PLANNING - any advice or directives to be given to whomever is to lead/drive establishing, stabilising and growing a fledging NZ Ratepayers Alliance.