Integrated planning for effective government

Video

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS AND VIDEO - Representatives of all the various provincial departments met local government officials on the Garden Route on Wednesday, 14 November to jointly plan and budget for implementation of strategies over the next five years.

The head of the Department of Local Government in the Western Cape, Graham Paulse, told the Mossel Bay Advertiser the strategic session with all the municipalities in the region enabled integrated planning, taking into account the emerging challenges.

He listed the challenges as, firstly, economic development, growth and stimulation with work being done to establish a special economic zone for the region.

Secondly, the challenge centres on smart people, smart cities and smart transport, while thirdly the focus was on good governance and integrated service delivery.

Paulse said aim was to plan to be more efficient and effective when it comes to service delivery, especially considering the challenges brought about by the ever increasing population, waste management and disaster management, as seen with the recent fires in the area.

He added that the provincial government had been asked to consider and support the work on a metro for the Garden Route, an idea proposed by the municipal manager of the Garden Route District Municipality, Monde Stratu, at the strategic planning session.

"The Garden Route is a growth node, a secondary city to Cape Town in the Western Cape and it has been put forth that the provincial government should support and assist the proposal of a metro," Paulse added.

He said the provincial government would assist the Garden Route and its people in this endeavour.

Watch a video below.