Redesign of Resource Consents Operating Model

Our approach began with a comprehensive discovery phase, where we engaged directly with stakeholders to understand the issues from both external and internal perspectives. We met with individual developers and planning consultants to capture their frustrations and pain points from the customer side. Internally, we examined the various council departments involved in the resource consent process to understand each step involved and determine where there were internal challenges and inefficiencies.

The next step involved summarising our findings into key issues and opportunities. We mapped the entire resource consents process, from initial inquiry through to the issuance of resource and building consents, identifying pain points and bottlenecks at each stage. This analysis allowed us to present a clear picture of the challenges to Council, along with proposed improvements. Our work was centred on a thorough analysis of the consenting process, focusing on volume analysis, touchpoints, and identifying bottlenecks in the existing system.

Redesign

The second phase of this project focused on developing a new operating model for the consenting process. This model included standardised customer interactions and communications, ensuring clarity and consistency in responses. The new operating model allowed for streamlined processes for simpler engineering designs and more detailed protocols for complex cases. Key steps were to determine end-to-end service levels at each stage and the relationship management role for complex consents.

We introduced clear roles, accountabilities, and responsibilities for the resource consenting process using a RACI matrix. This tool helped define who was responsible for each part of the process, ensuring that resource consents were managed appropriately by resource planners with input from relevant council departments.