BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARDS ACT 1991

CODE FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARDS 1993 (NO.2)

Pursuant to section 7 of the Business Development Boards Act 1991 the Minister of Business Development hereby prescribes the following code.

CODE

1. Title and commencement - (1) This code may be cited as the Code for Business Development Boards 1993 (No.2).
   (2) This code shall come into force on the sixth day of August 1993.

2. Definitions - In this code, unless the context otherwise requires -
   "Government’s Enterprise Assistance Package" means the Government’s economic, business and employment initiatives delivered by a range of agencies; and
   "Business Development Programme schemes" means the Business Development Investigation Grant (BDIG), the Expert Assistance Grant Scheme (EAGS) and the Enterprise Growth Development Scheme (EGDS); and
   "Minister" means the Minister of Business Development.

PART I
GOALS OF THE BOARDS

3. Goals of Business Development Boards - The goals of each Business Development Board are -
   (a) To encourage the establishment of viable new business enterprises; and
   (b) To encourage the expansion of viable existing business enterprises; and
   (c) To contribute to increasing employment.

PART II
ACTIVITIES BOARDS ARE TO UNDERTAKE

4. Activities - The activities each Board is to undertake are -
   (a) To provide advice to the Minister relating to business development in its region in accordance with clause 5 of this code; and
   (b) To ensure that Business Development Board services are available in its region in accordance with clause 6 of this code; and
   (c) To ensure that information on the Government’s Enterprise Assistance Package is effectively promoted and publicly available; and
   (d) To ensure that the Business Development Programme is effectively promoted and the public has ready access to the programme; and
   (e) To administer the Business Development Programme schemes in accordance with the procedures specified in the Schedule to this code; and
   (f) To encourage and promote business development in its region.

5. Advice to the Minister - (1) Each Board is required to advise the Minister, on at least a monthly basis, in relation to -
   (a) Significant business developments in its region; and
   (b) Significant matters affecting business development in its region; and
   (c) The broad range of issues which impact on its region’s development; and
   (d) As part of monitoring the mainstreamed Mana programmes, it should provide information on any significant work being undertaken to advance Maori business development in its region. This will include:
   (i) any work designed to develop and maintain close contact with Maori and Maori groups. The Board should outline the outcome that this work is expected to contribute to; and
   (ii) the number of enquiries made by persons identifying themselves as non-Maori or Maori (including Maori individuals or businesses under Maori ownership) on the services provided by the Board and assistance available for business. The Board should endeavour to supply this information on the basis of:

• number of enquiries by non-Maoris;
• number of enquiries by Maoris;
• breakdown of Maori enquiries by tribal affiliation;
• gender breakdown;
• how contact was made with the Board (ie phone, visit, letter, fax, etc);
• type of information/advice sought (eg on Government’s Enterprise Assistance Package, on Business Development Programme schemes, general business start-up advice, finance, staffing/labour, accounting, legal, etc).
  (2) The Chairperson of each Board shall forward two copies of each monthly report to the Minister.

6. Business Development Board services - Each Board is responsible for ensuring that in its region -
   (a) Information on the Government’s Enterprise Assistance Package is effectively promoted and publicly available; and
   (b) Information on the Business Development Programme schemes is publicly available; and
   (c) Clients needs are quickly assessed and that contact is facilitated with the appropriate agencies in the private or public sectors.

PART III
RULES AND GUIDELINES

7. Liaison with Maori - (1) Each Board shall establish and maintain contact with the appropriate local Maori organisations.
   (2) Each Board is to liaise with these groups in undertaking the activities specified in clause 4 of this code.
   (3) When preparing its Annual Report to the Minister, each Board is required to include a separate section reporting on the delivery of Board services to Maori, including the grant schemes. Each Board shall include -
   (a) details on the steps that have been taken to further develop relationships with Maori; and
   (b) details on how the services provided by the Board have contributed to any increased participation by Maori in business and any increase in job opportunities for Maori.