Integrated development plans

TITLE: INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PLAN

SUMMARY: A plan which encompasses all the functions to be undertaken by a municipality and helps to inform local priorities for implementation by other levels of government within a 5 year period guided by long term objectives and strategies and that gets reviewed annually.

PURPOSE:To provide for the integrated development of all services (social, infrastructural, environmental) within the municipality

LEGISLATION:	Chapter 5 of the Municipal Systems Act, 2000.

CONTENT:Prescribed in terms of the legislation and includes a vision for long term development, an assessment of existing levels of development, development priorities and objectives, development strategies, a spatial development framework, operational strategies, disaster management plans, a financial plan and key performance indicators and targets. The plan can also make use of Ward or Community based plans where these are available, in order to ensure that the wishes of the communities are taken into consideration in the formulation of the IDP.

The IDP will provide a legislative background, relevant objectives and strategies and then list specific projects to be implemented in order to achieve the goals set out, including budgets per project, location of projects and the responsibility for implementation of the projects.

The Regulations to the Municipal Systems Act, 2000 contain a brief section setting out broad requirements for the content of IDPs. The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) has published a guideline document on formulation of SDFs, entitled “Guidelines for the Development of Spatial Development Frameworks 2011.”

This guideline document devotes a section after the start-up process has been completed to Public Participation, Stakeholder Identification and Guidelines for Advertising. In addition, once a draft SDF has been prepared, an opportunity is again presented for comment by relevant stakeholders and an invitation by way of advertisement in the press is made to the public for input. As the SDF needs review on a 5 year basis, stakeholders will again be offered an opportunity to comment during the revision process.

PROCESS: The IDP manager is responsible together with the Representative Forum to compile the plan. Consultants are often appointed to assist. Involvement of the community is part of the legislated process. Chapter 4 of the Municipal Systems Act places the responsibility for creating a culture of community participation on the municipality. It sets out mechanisms, processes and procedures, how to communicate information and give notice of public meetings, deals with admission of the public to meetings and sets regulations and guidelines for communication. Approval is the responsibility of the Councillors.

USE: All development in the municipal area is governed by this plan. It must : -
 * link, integrate and co-ordinate various sector plans relating to specific sectors such as Housing, Local Economic Development (LED), Infrastructure etc.
 * align resources and capacity of the municipality for the implementation of the plan
 * form the policy framework
 * form the general basis on which annual budgets are set
 * be compatible with national and provincial development plans.

Municipal officials must implement the plan, and politicians must ensure that the plan is monitored.

LINKAGES: The IDP must comply with the vision and strategies in the Strategic Plan (should the municipality have one) and all lower levels plan must be in accordance with this plan.