Regional collaboration
Regional collaboration
Boundaries are only lines on a map. As the Waikato region is growing, people are moving around more than ever before, working in one district, living in another, and playing sports or doing their shopping in a third district. Having a coordinated approach to planning and investment can have real benefits by ensuring there is consistency and alignment across boundaries.
What's on the horizon?
Challenges
- Resource Management Act Reform – the draft Spatial Planning Act requires the development of a Regional Spatial Plan to replace the individual District Plans.
- Local Water Done Well Reform – Central Government's approach to improve the management of Water services. We have confirmed that we will join other Waikato councils in establishing Waikato Water Done Well, a new, jointly owned Council Controlled Organisation to deliver drinking water and wastewater services across the region.
- Local Government Act Reform - Central Government has signaled changes to the Local Government Act that will aim to ensure local councils continue to focus on delivering essential services and core infrastructure to their communities.
Opportunities
- Collaboration on planning and policy development.
- Economies of scale through partnering on joint initiatives.
- Partnership – many of our customers have interactions with multiple agencies. There’s an opportunity to improve the customer journey through partnerships and collaboration.
Council's response
- Waikato Regional Council's joint committees
- Waikato Regional Airport Limited and Hamilton & Waikato Tourism
- Co-Lab (Waikato Local Authorities Shared Services)
- Waikato Regional Collaboration Group for Economic Development
- Future Proof
What do you stand for?
- How can we ensure our community's voice is heard at the regional level?
- How can we leverage off some of the regional initiatives to improve the community outcomes for our district?
