What is Southland’s plan for future?
Prominent businessman Graham Cooney is chairing a Southland Regional Development Strategy steering group to create a blueprint for the next 20 years – and is calling for an end to short-term, ad hoc decision-making in the region.
Discussions about a plan for the region have been going on for at least two years but Cooney said the steering group had a shelf life of about six months and would deliver a report with ‘‘not a lot of words but something with a lot of guts’’ to the Southland Mayoral Forum by August.
‘‘For it to get anywhere there has to be absolute buy-in.’’
The Southland Mayoral Forum commissioned the steering group of about 15 people to develop the strategy – starting with a clean sheet. The group includes company CEOs, a couple of local government representatives, education representatives, aquaculture and agriculture representatives, a young lawyer and a student, a Southern District Health Board representative and Ngai Tahu representation.
‘‘They are required to think laterally, using their unique knowledge of what makes Southland tick and at the same time being guided by their unique knowledge of what makes success tick.’’
The diversity of the group was paying dividends. For example, the younger ones on the group had a different view of what was needed in Invercargill’s CBD as they were the ones who frequented it most often – with ideas around the creation of a much more vibrant social scene in the mix, he said.
A working group would support the steering group with information. Both groups were being supported by independent consultant Geoff Henley, of Wellington, who would put the report together. Cooney said Henley would interview business leaders and leaders in other sectors in Southland. The aim was to bring together a blueprint for short and long-term investment of resources in Southland to improve sustainable growth, income and jobs, Cooney said.
‘‘It may be that specific targets will be part of the report so that progress can be measured.’’
Part of the strategy was to create the ‘‘correct’’ environment for new business to establish and thrive and existing business to prosper. Cooney said the steering group had not set out to rattle cages but the group aimed to identify factors or ‘‘blockages’’ holding the region back.
The steering group had met three times and the process was about 50 per cent complete, with business opportunities identified, and discussion now centred around the environment needed to advance opportunities. Key themes emerging were the critical need for high-quality leadership to be given the right environment in which to operate and that Southland was a great place ‘‘to make a start in life’’.
‘‘Any strategy will consist of small but continuous incremental steps. It will be achieved over years, not months,’’ Cooney said.
A 20-year vision for the region, revisited every 12 months to acknowledge a rapidly changing world, was the aim. ‘‘I think we absolutely and utterly need a longer term plan that all Southlanders buy into.’’
Venture Southland chief executive Paul Casson said he was happy with progress on the strategy to date, but did not want to comment broadly as it had been agreed all communications would be done through Cooney.
Everyone was around the table working on the strategy and it was important that Venture Southland was not seen to be driving the project on its own, he said.
Casson said the Southland Mayoral Forum through the Shared Services Forum was funding the project financially with numerous other stakeholders contributing ‘‘in kind’’ or within their organisation’s current resources.
In August last year, Venture Southland’s joint committee approved $50,000 to create a regional development strategy. At the time, Venture Southland said it was doing the groundwork including a Southland economic profile, Southland business surveys and the primary sector jobs youth future programme. The entire project was expected to cost $100,000. Initial funding of $25,000 had been allocated to strategy work in 2013.