Long term relevance After the regional subsidiary is established, the business plan will continue to be relevant to a regional subsidiary’s operations. If the charter makes the business plan binding on a regional subsidiary, the member councils should ensure that there is a formal process for the plan’s review and amendment. Ideally, this process should also be specified in the charter. While the Regulations do not require consultation to change a business plan, it is highly encouraged. Significant changes to a business plan can easily lead to a loss of community support if consultation over the changes is insufficient. Application to the Minister The business plan will need to be submitted to the Minister as part of the application to establish the regional subsidiary. If the business plan was changed and readvertised during the consultation process, both versions should be provided in the application. Preliminary assessment While the business plan does not need to be submitted until the point an application is made, there are benefits to providing the business plan at an earlier stage. This will allow the department an opportunity to carry out a preliminary check of the business plan to determine: Whether it appears to comply with legislation, and Whether there are any obvious issues in the business plan which the Minister is likely to view with concern. If any issues are identified, the department will advise the member councils so that can be taken to rectify or mitigate these issues. This increases the possibility that the final application will be approved. Any preliminary check conducted by the department will be in addition to any formal assessment conducted on the final application to the Minister.
Long term relevance After the regional subsidiary is established, the business plan will continue to be relevant to a regional subsidiary’s operations. If the charter makes the business plan binding on a regional subsidiary, the member councils should ensure that there is a formal process for the plan’s review and amendment. Ideally, this process should also be specified in the charter. While the Regulations do not require consultation to change a business plan, it is highly encouraged. Significant changes to a business plan can easily lead to a loss of community support if consultation over the changes is insufficient. Application to the Minister The business plan will need to be submitted to the Minister as part of the application to establish the regional subsidiary. If the business plan was changed and readvertised during the consultation process, both versions should be provided in the application. Preliminary assessment While the business plan does not need to be submitted until the point an application is made, there are benefits to providing the business plan at an earlier stage. This will allow the department an opportunity to carry out a preliminary check of the business plan to determine: Whether it appears to comply with legislation, and Whether there are any obvious issues in the business plan which the Minister is likely to view with concern. If any issues are identified, the department will advise the member councils so that can be taken to rectify or mitigate these issues. This increases the possibility that the final application will be approved. Any preliminary check conducted by the department will be in addition to any formal assessment conducted on the final application to the Minister.
Regional_Subsidiaries_Business_Plan_Guidelines.DOCX