ALL stakeholders - including businesses, faith-based organisations and non-governmental organisations – are being urged to attend Buffalo City’s annual Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and Budget External Representative Forum.

To be held at the Regent Hotel in East London on Friday, 20 March the forum will look at various aspects of the IDP, including the City’s progress so far and its plans, objectives and strategies.

The City has invited the stakeholders to give their input on the draft IDP and budget. The meeting will highlight the key remaining processes leading to the final approval of the IDP and budget by the council.

The plan is the result of extensive consultations aimed at repositioning the City’s development and service-delivery objectives and programmes to ensure that they address the actual needs of stakeholders and communities. These needs are influenced by shifting socio-economic dynamics.

According to the IDP Review for the year 2008/2009, there is still a lot to be done to alleviate poverty. This will create an environment that is conducive to economic growth and will bring meaning and dignity to the lives of the diverse communities of Buffalo City.

“The forum is part of the ongoing … review of the IDP 2009/10 with the purpose of presenting the progress made by the City so far,” said Simpiwe Seti, the manager of the IDP and budget integration department.

It would ensure extensive participation from stakeholders in the IDP and budget, he said.

It is also expected to encourage residents to play a role and participate in becoming authors of their own development through making direct input into the IDP, according to the review.

Seti said that at the forum, officials would explain to people in their respective wards what the development plans were; what had been achieved in terms of their priority areas; the challenges and plans for the future.

Samkelo Ngwenya, the City’s spokesperson, added: “We [The City] are devoted to improving the lives of our people and transforming them from their current unjust socio-economic conditions to positive development and, ultimately, prosperity.”

Residents deserved quality, prompt and efficient services, he said. The municipality was constantly evaluating itself towards reaching this calling.