John Roil: Innovation much needed in council

Hastings district Councillor John Roil

FIRSTLY, a declaration. I write this as a resident of Hawke's Bay, due to the conflict of interest that affects people who hold office as a local government representative as well as being a local business owner.

I have a huge amount of respect for those that are in business and use innovation to improve their business and culture.

Today, many businesses are challenged by the changes to the economic environment we are faced with. Yet for those to succeed in business, they either adapt to change by improving their service with innovation, which comes from a desire and willingness to change the way they operate, or they fail or close.

The key to innovation is a willingness and openness to change.

The council works with many organisations such as Business Hawke's Bay to assist business owners to link into agencies that can assist with improving their business by training or the likes of the HB Chamber of Commerce that bring businesses together and share ideas.

Many businesses have to increase their productivity by way of technology or finding a better way to operate.

This is part of the competitive framework in which businesses survive.

In council, it appears that having a role under compliance and regulatory framework negates the need to be innovative. With my Hastings councillor hat on, there are clear roles between governance and management, and "never the twain shall meet".

I look at the many things that businesses have to abide by, such as innovation, compliance, process, timelines, customer relationship, productivity, finances and marketing.

However, I am amazed that innovation for many is not part of the culture in which council works.

To be innovative, people need to sometimes take risks, albeit calculated. However, it appears that many councils lack any type of initiative that requires working outside their comfort zone.

Innovation is a word that is not often used in the regulatory framework, because they do not have to.

Overheads continue to be hidden in the vast framework of finance and monitoring, yet the most basic of tasks seem to take forever.

I look at the difference between business and council, and the biggest difference is the time it takes for anything to get done and innovation.

The common denominator for councils to aspire to is when they measure themselves against other councils, which at times is hardly a measure but a base. How would the likes of innovators such as Steve Jobs and our very own Rod Drury survive and thrive in this type of culture?

At no stage do businesses have the opportunity to fall back on a compliance and regulatory framework in order to justify or increase their costs.

For those that come from a business background, the work in governance is very difficult to balance when productivity and innovation come a distant second to the compliance and regulatory framework that council must abide to.

This situation is getting worse and a challenge needs to come from within the organisation as to how to better balance the framework in which the council operates. Otherwise, we will continue to have increased costs and lack of understanding with the business/private sector.

Perhaps at a time when amalgamation is a hot topic, innovation should be at the forefront of what could be a positive change to a council structure. Wouldn't it be fantastic to see a division within council that's titled "innovation" or a mantra for each service delivery area that has "innovation" as an expectation?

-John Roil is a Hastings District councillor and a local businessman.