City Planning Commission Second Quarterly Meeting

ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY

CITY PLANNING COMMISSION SECOND QUARTERLY MEETING

MINUTES OF MEETING -23/06/2016

DURBAN ICC-ROOM 22 ABCG

Name and Surname / Organization
1 / Ivan Turok - Chairperson / Human Sciences Research Council
2 / Thato Tsautse / Durban Chamber of Commerce
3 / Akash Singh / Durban Chamber of Commerce
4 / Urmila Bob / UKZN –Dean of Research Full Professor in Geography
5 / Glen Robbins / KZN Provincial Planning Commission
6 / Yasmin Rajah / Civil Society
7 / Malcolm Mitchell / Civil and Transportation Engineer
8 / Eric Mtshali / Civil Society
9 / Adrian Peters / Strategy Office
10 / Shivani Singh / Investment Promotion Unit
11 / Jo Douwes / Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department
12 / Helen Epstein / Framework Planning
13 / Soobs Moonsamy / Development Planning
14 / Ken Breetzke / Engineering Unit
15 / Pamela Moonsamy / Strategy Office
16 / Puvendra Akkiah / Corporate Policy-Strategy Office
17 / Sogen Moodley / Corporate Policy-Strategy Office
18 / Phumelele Sokhela / BPCC
19 / Vijay Punchee / Treasury
20 / Brian O’Leary / Strategy Office
21 / Ajiv Maharaj / Economic Development Unit - Policy And Strategy Info & Research
22 / Bongumusa Zondo / Strategy Office
23 / Musa Gumede / DCM Economic Development & Planning
24 / Mimi Ndokweni / Economic Development DCM Support
Item no. / Comment / Resp. Person / Due Date
1 / WELCOME & APOLOGIES
The chairperson welcomed everyone and indicated that the critical objectives for the meeting are to :-

• take the themes forward
• Decide on how we are going to deal with the Urban Observatory and demographic forecasting.
• Deal with the 100 RC Alignment

Apologies were received from:-

• Thato Tsautse
• Beauty Zibula

2 / CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA & MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD 17 MARCH 2016
It was agreed that the agenda be changed to bring in the 100RC update as item 4 with all other items shifting down.
The minutes of 17 March 2016 were approved.
3 / MATTERS ARISING NOT COVERED ON THE AGENDA
Vacancies on the commission - Given the imminent political changes it was decided not to pursue the Commission vacancies any further.
4. / 100 RC REPORTBACK (Presentation by Dr Debra Roberts)
Following a presentation by Dr Roberts, the following questions/comments were made :-

• Chair

• Is the report available and how do we get hold of it?.
• The systems approach is good for our themes as well
• We need to know the timing and scope of the Resilience Strategy
• We need to know how we move from RBO’s to a Resilience Strategy
• We need a 1 day workshop between 100RC team and CPC to deal with alignment

• Commissioner Mitchell

• He is reasonably involved in the 100RC project and it is a very good project
• We and to ensure that there is alignment

• Commissioner McMenamin

• Where do thoughts of ‘agency’ fall in relation to which levers are chosen eg. Education lever where City does not have a mandate.
• We need to ensure that we focus on areas of mandate to ensure cogent action

• Commissioner Bob

• The Workshop is supported.
• The timescale may distinguish and clarify how 100RC relates to CPC work
• We need to ensure that key performance indicators & M&E framework align
• Is the project looking at regional resilience? We must not be inward looking.

• Commissioner Wilkinson

• How do the levers relate to the 2 projects

• Debra

• The summary report is being cleaned up and will be circulated
• Dalberg has also been asked to prepare a process document which will also be circulated.
• A Resilience Strategy is the key product which is targeted for Jan/Feb 2017
• The intention is to narrow not broaden out
• A workshop is endorsed as is alignment
• We need to look at how we release the documents
• The 6 levers did not give us a sense of where action is possible. Informal Settlements is an area where there is agency and a lot of initiatives as well as political interest.
• The ITB likewise; since we have the planning mandate. Already there are stewardship initiatives underway in these areas..
• ‘Agency’ is a key issue
• Monitoring needs to be discussed in the workshop
• Regional resilience is a key factor in particular with the 2nd RBO
• The RBO’s chosen that are actionable and draw in as many of the levers as possible

• Debra

• The 6 PRA’s were not a static deliverable
• They were Informants for the 6 levers
• There is an evolving process
• The study has moved past themes
• The study is bound by timelines and obligations and so won’t be the level of iteration

• Chair

• Suggest that Form a sub group is formed to plan workshop- Ken, Adrian etc.
• Commissioners must be requested to get involved.

• Ken

• The 2 RBO’s have a good relationship with the spatial theme.

RESOLVED that:-
1.)A 1 day workshop be held with the 100RC project to deal with alignment of methodology, timelines, outputs and outcomes
Pursuant to (1) above a sub-group be established to plan the workshop.
5. / OBSEVRVATORTY & MILE
Sogen Moodley presented on MILE emphasizing the following points :-

• UCLG uses MILE and its portal for City to City learning
• MILE is helping Cities internationally to develop implementation strategies for SDG’s
• The capacity enhancement programme includes management seminars , councilor seminars and master classes
• They also facilitate learning exchanges relating to policy and practice
• Municipal Technical support is also facilitated.
• The municipality is also creating an academy (EMA) for Skills Development which is separate from MILE.
• Mile has also engaged the Tertiary Institutions to align research with the 3 CPC thematic areas.
• After the presentation the following questions and comments were raised :-
• Chair
• How big is the staff complement to which Sogen advised that he has 3 permanent staff members?
• Mentioned that EU equivalent has 2000 staff

• Commissioner Singh

• Wants to know more about the Academy – to be dealt with outside of the meeting.

• Commissioner Mitchell

• There is a very poor relationship between UKZN and Practice, especially Engineering
• There is a blurring of lines between political and executive leaders. Politicians are getting far too involved in administrative issues.

• Commissioner McMenamin
• It is a problem that the purpose of Mile can’t be summarized in 2 sentences
• What exactly are you doing about what and why is the question
• Worried about resources to support Commission
• University relationships –sometimes fewer that are more meaningful might be better.
• MILE needs a focusedpurpose and mandate.

• Commissioner Rakharebe

• Passion is appreciated
• Could ask City to provide more resources.

• Commissioner Bob

• The role of MILE is to create a Learning Space not to do the learning
• Universities are looking for win-win relationships

• Commissioner Robbins

• We must identify contacts and networks for us to come to grips with partnerships that we need to have to implement our plan
• There is a need to deal with city leadership mentoring etc.

• Following a presentation by Brian ‘O Leary on the Urban Observatory the following questions and comments were made :-

• Chair
• Given the political nature of decision making our objective of the proposal is to ensure credible and informed decision making
• There is a need to appoint a champion and engage with partners like Province, National Treasury and business etc.

• Commissioner Singh
• Business will buy in
• Need to identify datasets and synthesize the data into first tier business uses

• Commissioner Bob

• This is an important initiative for many stakeholders
• She disagrees with the way it has being conceptualized
• The Observatory is about knowledge management and providing information that others can interrogate and analyze.
• It should not be conceptualized as a project.
• It should not necessarily have outputs
• It must play multiple roles eg identifying resource bases, research partners etc.

• Commissioner Mitchell

• There should be a closer relationships between academic institutions and practice

• Commissioner Rajah

• We need to look at how we use what is already in place.
• She agrees that the Observatory should be a robust resource for everybody

• Commissioner McMenamin

• There are different potential models with pros & cons that need to be explored.

• Chair
• There is a need to Speak to RasheedSeedat from GRO

• Sogen and Brian responded to questions

RESOLVED
That a sub-group is formed led by Brian and including Akash, Ivan, Urmilla, Glen & Yasmeen to look at:

• Scope and functionality of an Observatory
• Partnership options including with Business, National Treasury, Province and Tertiary Institutions to fast track the Observatory
• A possible business plan for the Observatory

/ Brian O’Leary
6 / DEMOGRAPHIC MODEL
Following a presentation by Brian O’ Leary the following comments/questions were raised :-

• Chair
• We must look at scenarios eg. high growth, low growth etc.
• Glen
• We must consider the extraordinary event horizon- what are the things that could shock or change projections
• Age profiling needs to be looked at as well as household sizes etc.
• Chair
• Interrogation of the 3 projections is supported.
• Ken
• Common base is essential for all infrastructure depts. to plan
• Spatial distribution of the growth is critical as is future economic activities
• Need to evaluate assumptions of how City is going to grow.

RESOLVED that:
The 3 existing projections are interrogated for possible utilization as a CPC endorsed centralized projection. / Brian O’Leary
7. / THEME 1 :GROWING AN ENABLING &TRANSFORMATIVE ECONOMY
Following a presentation by Ajiv Mharaj, the following comments / questions were made :-

• Chair
• The Framework should be is to Invest in People, Places and Propulsive Industries & processes
• We need to sharpen the specifics which places, which skills and which particular industries

• Commissioner Singh

• The tone is much better & framework is workable
• We need to budget for innovation
• Define what is economic leadership
• Have we looked at PGDS ?
• A productivity plan is required that shows gains
• Think about how fund using social capital

• Commissioner Wilkinson

• Creating an enabling environment is the nub of the issue.
• Skills follows economic need
• Enabling port efficiency is key
• Economic leadership is important to deal with silos
• Need a single unified voice, speaking with certainty and being responsive

• Commissioner McMenamin

• Agree that enabling environment is key
• Need to get processes right
• Need the right people at the table to build relationships
• Focus on getting the basics right

• Commissioner Robbins

• We need to interrogate leadership a bit more
• We need to constrain the leadership tendency to focus on projects rather than processes.
• We need to put content to economic leadership – should be more in a governance context rather than project focused.

• Urmilla
• May be addressed in the governance theme
• Challenges have been documented before
• Systemic set of underlying issues
• Pick up in consolidation discussion.
• Short term strategic annexure is not strategic – need to think strategically about what we can change now that will impact on the future.

• Chair
• The fundamental priority is a conducive business environment
• Supported by investing in people (low skilled & poor people) and key industries and activities and key assets with their backwards & forward linkages. We need to focus on key employers(top 20 or 50) that require special attention

• Commissioner McMenamin

• Get the basics right instead of focusing on projects since we may have lost a lot of growth because we don’t have an enabling environment.
• Create a platform for top 20 or 50 businesses to make investment decisions.

• Commissioner Mitchell

• Leadership should be administrative leadership and not so much political leadership

• Ajiv
• Unblocking is key, efficiencies etc.
• Short term plan will be reviewed
• We need to look at procurement more carefully
• Shunnon
• We need a single narrative
• The enabling environment is critical
• Need a change management process
• Intervention in key sectors
• Engagement is critical
• Chair
• The work is endorsed
• We need to reshape and sharpen
• We need to identify specific key elements in the short, medium and long term.

• Commissioner Rajah

• The role of the informal economy must be identified and provided for.
• There should be appropriate regulation

8. / THEME 2 : BOLD AND PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE
Following a presentation by Mr Bongumusa Zondo, the following questions / comments were made :-

• Chair
• There are 19 issues listed in the summary which is far too many
• We need to prioritize- some may be less strategic than others eg. filling of vacancies
• We need a more explicit discussion around recommendations
• We need to link issues to other themes to show impact over time
• We need to broaden sub-group to take forward

• Commissioner McMenamin

• First signify what are the key levers that will resolve the majority of issues
• Apply systems thinking
• Secondly need to assess quality of interventions.
• The critical lever is quality of leadership at the top – Executive at the top. We need to think very carefully about how we interveneat this level.

• Commissioner Mitchell

• We need institutional realignment
• Treatment at Sizakala Centers is no good.
• We need mechanisms to involve all I&AP’s

• Commissioner Wilkinson

• The Executive Mayor System should be looked at.

• Commissioner Robbins

• The report is an interesting consolidation of information
• We need to relate to storyline and societal problems eg xenophobia etc
• We need to be explicit about how better governance can result in better societies

• Chair
• It is useful to look at Jackie Cilliers report from ISS re how security problems relate to governance as a wider context.
• Urmilla
• Some assistance may be required to grasp issues in a strategic way
• Pull out one key theme eg. Communication & engagement, unpack and look at how address. Some existing structures may be disenabling.
• We need to Identify 3 or 4 big picture issues.
• Soobs
• This is a difficult theme which needs additional capacity
• Chair
• Agree that we need to bring in additional capacity

• Commissioner McMenamin

• Need external credible group especially if going to reflect on leadership etc. eg Harvard School of Governance

• Commissioner Mitchell

• Suggest UNISA

• Puven

• Salga

• Commissioner Bob

• Critical to bring in an external expert

• Commissioner Singh

• Don’t think an expert will solve the problem
• An external expert may assist the process

• Commissioner McMenamin

• Look at NDP
• Need to emphasize professionalization of the bureaucracy

• Chair

• We need to take theme forward.

9. / THEME 3 : SPATIAL INTEGRATION & QUALITY PLACE MAKING
Following presentation by Mr Ken Breetzke, the following questions / comments were made

• Ken

• Single most important lever is buy-in to a Corporate Spatial Plan

• Helene
• Integration is important
• Regional integration is also critical

• Commissioner Wilkinson

• Articulates key issues very well though issues are known.
• Challenge is to identify solutions and to implement these.

• Chair

• Justification is good especially relating to governance

• Commissioner McMenamin

• Spatial strategy must be cornerstone of all that we do
• Can’t have a spatial strategy without economic logic
• Ask the question re where the economic dynamism is coming from eg. Interchange in Cornubia taking so long
• Purpose of spatial plan to balance what markets want and infrastructure efficiency but we need economic logic

• Commissioner Robbins

• Need to map City investments
• So many competing plans
• Categorize existing plans from problematic to supportive

• Chair

• We must also identify things to be discouraged & discontinued

• Commissioner Mitchell

• We need to look at how we sell things like densification

• Soobs
• Spatial economics depends on private investment
• Need to have a degree of flexibility
• Need to be able to respond to private sector driven non or lower priority projects by eg. Carrying full costs etc.
• Chair
• Need to be able to steer the market rather than reacting
• Ken
• Point taken that City plan is the point of reference.
• The NHS subsidy regime is driving urban form though the approach seems to be changing.
• Need to see what is working in other metros
• It is difficult to get large landowners to reflect their spatial development outlook.

• Commissioner Wilkinson

• TongatHullethave produced an economic outlook report.

• Commissioner McMenamin

• Need to identify where the rates are coming from and what are the trends – where growing etc
• Where does infrastructure capacity exist and where does it need to be extended
• How do you use incentives to get development to take place where infrastructure capacity exists

• Ajiv
• There is no rationale on where we spend our budgets
• There is too much focus on take up
• Puven
• Economic inputs in the IDP are project based

• Chair
• We should encourage experimentation eg. reducing parking requirements
• It is difficult to get the private sector to be strategic- rather put concrete proposals to developers and gauge responses
• Importance of the heart of the City
• Public spaces and the public realm are not adequately covered.

• Commissioner Robbins

• Relates to governance theme who and how we engage
• Need to get more out of our forums
• Diffuse authorities in City – we need designated contact persons

• PGDS

Following a discussion on the PGDS he following comments / questions were raised :-

• Commissioner Robbins

• PPC has consistently raised issues re urban vs rural but politically there is a view that Durban has enough resources
• City and Provincial officials need to engage more
• Strategy will be released in a few weeks
• Raise issues with our politicians
• Recruit Provincial officials into our Theme groups

/ Theme Group Leader
10. / THEME DISCUSSION CONSOLIDATION

• Chair
• Further technical work is required
• Need another iteration before next meeting
• We need to think about how feed into strategy which must be done by year end
• We need to set up a special sub group to start working on the strategy

• Commissioner McMenamin
• Suggest an independent Strategy Group to engage with all 3 themes
• We need dedicated resource/partner

• Commissioner Robbins

• We need another meeting before the next programmed meeting say 2 months from now.
• Thematic work must continue

• Commissioner McMenamin

• The key issue for governance particularly is executive leadership. What do we do to ensure professional leadership?
• Creating an enabling environment is the key economic issue
• Spatial framework is key for restructuring and directing investment

• Commissioner Robbins

• Go to GTAC possibly

RESOLVED that the Secretariat :-
(a)Programme a follow up meeting
(b)(b) sources additional capacity to assist theme groups and o start compiling the strategy
11. / STORYLINE PUBLICATION

• Commissioner Mitchell
• Believes that the document should go out

• Commissioner Robbins
• Too close to elections so need to be cautious

• Commissioner McMenamin

• No benefit in media launch
• Distribute to officials
• Get adopted so that it is in the pack of new Council
• Rather go back to stakeholders with storyline and draft strategy
• Also put on website and elicit comments

• Commissioner Robbins

• We should Dovetail with regional SOCR launch

• Commissioner Wilkinson

• Prepare a press release.

• Commissioner McMenamin

• Press release that contextualizes the document and where it is in the process.
• Chief spokesperson is chairperson

• Chair suggests that:-
• Go to Business Day re advertising the Storyline
• Start a new strand of work to pull themes together and to prepare a draft strategy plan
• 2 meetings before next programmed meeting, 1 with 100RC team and the other to look at a draft strategy
• Circulate 3 theme documents for comments from Commissioners

/ Secretariat /AP
12. / WORK POGRAMME RE : FURTHER RESEARCH
Nothing to discuss on this stage.
13. / DATE OF NEXT MEETING

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