Keeping Track of Infringements

The NCS Sundry Infringements system records and automates the processing of infringements issued by councils for misdemeanours under the Resource Management Act, Litter Act and various bylaws such as parking and dog registrations.

Lakes Environmental Ltd is owned by, and manages the regulatory enforcement functions of, the Queenstown Lakes District Council. Queenstown has the fast growing set of communities in New Zealand and Lakes Environmental, with a staff of 18, is one of this country’s largest enforcement teams. Six planners are assigned to Resource Management Act monitoring, and every resource consent is checked for compliance, from a residential garage to major commercial buildings.

Lakes Environmental issues up to 1,500 offence notices each month. Fines for infringements range from $12 for a parking fine to $2,000 for breaches of the Building Act.

Compliance Manager, Tim Francis, says fining people for sundry infringements is an immediate indication to the public that their behaviour is unacceptable and helps educate the community.

“Judges are encouraging enforcement agencies, such as territorial authorities, to use sundry infringement regimes as a stepping-stone approach, before taking more serious action.

“Taking criminal charges through the courts can drag out but this is fast and has an immediate financial impact,” says Tim.

The NCS system is efficient and simple, providing automatic prompts and reminders, e-filing to the courts and many other functions such as easy searching, a history of infringements, cash receipting and generates an extensive range of reports.

“It’s so efficient, instant and it’s 100% the best tool we have for a regulatory agency system. I like the way it allows all correspondence relating to a single infringement to come up on the file, putting all the information at your finger tips,” says Tim.

“The whole process is very cost effective,” he says. Setting up the sundry infringement system correctly is important and users might have to import correct wording for offences.

“I’m surprised that some councils don’t have a sundry infringements system – I don’t know how they manage non-compliance,” he says.

The Buller District Council, which also uses the NCS sundry infringement system, says the council’s volume of infringement notices may not be huge but the program saves considerable time and money. The Buller district runs south to Punakaiki, north to Karamea and inland to Springs Junction, with a population nearing 10,000.

Environment team leader, Joy Donaldson, says her team uses the system for many purposes, from sending reminders for dog registrations to issuing fines for litter and noise offences.

“It’s such a good system. Previously, we typed each notice out manually and had to create manual systems for reminders but the NCS system has automatic pop up reminders and ensures cases are not overlooked or forgotten. There are built-in notices if an issue moves to the court and other automated reporting for up to date information on the progress of fines being paid off,” says Joy.