The  This introduction section within LocoDELEGATIONS sets out the principles used by management for managing Council’s non-financial delegations. All non-financial delegations must be exercised in accordance with these principles and with the relevant empowering legislation.

              Principles for managing Non-Financial Delegations at Napier City Council (NCC):

• Delegation to the Lowest Competent Level: To maximise organisational efficiency and ensure timely decision-making, non-financial delegations must be pushed down and assigned to the lowest competent level within the organisation. This ensures decisions are made as close as practicable to service delivery, while remaining compliant with legislative requirements. The “lowest competent level” refers to the role closest to the operational activity that holds the necessary skills, qualifications, training, and technical knowledge to lawfully and safely exercise the delegated power. While decisions should generally be made at the lowest competent level, a manager may exercise a delegation or assume decision-making responsibility where complexity, risk, sensitivity, or a conflict of interest justifies escalation.
• Hierarchical Delegations: Non-financial delegations operate on a hierarchical basis. A manager inherently holds the delegations assigned to their direct reports, unless explicitly excluded by legislation.  Some legislation requires a specific statutory appointment, warrant, or professional qualification to exercise a power. In these circumstances, a delegation cannot be exercised by a manager unless they personally hold the required statutory authority or warrant.
• Acting in Higher Roles: An employee formally appointed in writing to act in a higher position may exercise the non-financial delegations attached to that role for the duration of the acting appointment.
• Governance and Maintenance of the Delegations Register: To ensure statutory integrity and appropriate governance oversight, changes to non-financial delegations recorded in LocoDELEGATIONS are managed under two distinct categories, Matters Requiring Council resolution and administrative updates by Council staff. These controls ensure that Council retains oversight of substantive delegation decisions, while allowing efficient day-to-day maintenance of the delegations register.
  • Matters requiring Council resolution: The following changes must be approved by Council resolution;
    • New roles: delegated authority to new roles,
    • New Assignments: the introduction of new non-financial delegations or powers not previously approved, 
    • Material Legislative Shifts: Legislative changes that materially alter the scope, threshold, or nature of an existing delegation as determined by the Manager of the respective function.

  • Administrative updates by Council Staff: Council staff are authorised to maintain the accuracy and currency of the delegations register without a Council resolution where changes are administrative and non-material, including;

1. Updates to role titles where the role’s scope and responsibilities remain unchanged,
2. Legislative amendments (such as renumbering or wording changes) that do not alter the intent, threshold, or risk profile of a delegation.