Mr. Paul Hogan:

The mid-year review process is within five years. As matters stand, it is possible that an elected member with a five-year term may not be able to complete a review process or may come in at the end of one. That can also arise in the current process. With the proposal in the Bill, there is a definite five-year gap between processes so every elected member will have an opportunity in that timeline. With the longer arc of a plan, it needs to be more agile and responsive and needs to have the flexibility to enable variation. For example, we have reduced the threshold for members to request initiation of a variation from a two-thirds majority to a simple resolution by way of a simple majority. This means there will be, presumably, more scope to reflect changes in policy or direction locally.