Stimulus/Rationale:
The Research and Evaluation Unit, RIMU part of Auckland Council's Auckland Plan, Strategy and Research department in the Chief Planning Office, is the Council’s environmental, social, economic and cultural research centre. It provides the evidence that assists policy development, implementation and evaluation and promotes council research results and publications to the wider community.
The Auckland Plan 2050, for example, is based on statistical and qualitative evidence about diversity and intercultural relations provided by the RIMU, shaping the specific directions and focus areas in the plan.
Process:
The Unit supports the Council by:
- collecting and managing qualitative and quantitative data
- analysing data using statistical analysis and modelling
- learning from others, including bench-marking and international comparisons
- looking forward by using scenario development and forecasting
- monitoring national and international trends, events and government policy developments.
- Writing, distributing and promoting reports, articles, technical publications and research papers.
- Identifying research and monitoring priorities and assist with experimental design and efficient data collection.
In addition, to improve inclusive governance, the Inclusive Auckland Framework and the Council's Quality Advice programme (which aims to ensure that elected members are presented with the best advice, at the right time and in the right way to help them fulfil their decision-making responsibilities) are working together to:
- Pilot, evaluate and implement a new process for community service design and delivery decisions based on demographic data and research;
- Establish high quality social and community impact assessments as standard practice for all policy advice, with training on this already underway.
The Knowledge Auckland website shares research, information and data from the Council and a variety of other sources to provide decision-makers, researchers, and communities with good access to the information and analysis needed to plan for Auckland’s future. This includes a link to Auckland Counts, the city’s census information.
Impact:
Impact is measured in several ways including through impact assessments on all policy advice as detailed above and having an independent review of the quality of advice provided by the Council to decision-makers through the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER).
Key reference documents:
- The Knowledge Auckland website
- Inclusive Auckland Framework
- Supporting Effective Governance in Auckland Council, Jesse Allpress, Christie McFadyen, Kathryn Ovenden, Abigail Talavera, January 2022
