This guidance is for departments that support Ministers with roles and responsibilities in relation to Crown entities. It is part of a set of advice developed by central agencies to help responsible Ministers, their departments, and boards improve the performance of Crown entities under the Crown Entities Act 2004 ("the Act")1. This guidance should be read together with Cabinet Office Circular CO (99) 13 Ministers' Roles and Responsibilities in Relation to Crown Entities.2
This guidance applies to departments' engagements with Crown agents, autonomous Crown entities (ACEs) and independent Crown entities (ICEs) - which are the three types of statutory entity described in the Act. Monitoring approaches will be tailored to respect differences between types of entities, and each entity's enabling legislation.
The term "monitoring department" is in common usage, and this circular continues this practice. A department's work in relation to a Crown entity involves a diverse range of activities, however, such as board appointments, interactions on strategic planning, direction and budget, as well as ongoing performance monitoring, advice and reporting.
1 Including "Guidance for Crown entities: planning and managing for results", "Guidance and requirements for Crown entities: preparing the 2006/07 Statement of Intent", and relevant Cabinet Office Circulars.
2 This Cabinet Office Circular is about to be updated to take account of the Crown Entities Act 2004 and other developments. The 2006 Circular will be available from www.dpmc.govt.nz/Cabinet/circulars
