The Waikato Plan
Strategic Planners Network, 8 May 2015
Waikato Priorities

Waikato
Expressway

$2.2b

Waikato’s RTC’s
highest priority for
15 years

What are our next
collective priorities
Where does it sit?
Why Waikato Plan?
• Lack of agreed evidence base
• Limited mechanisms to articulate regional issues or
opportunities of sub-regional or regional significance
• No framework for regional scale infrastructure investment
• Lack of Crown engagement as investment partners
• Over 650 policies, plans, strategies and bylaws
• Despite this effort, some key indicators are declining
Four key questions
1. What are the ‘big picture’ opportunities and challenges
today?
2. What is a realistic and robust vision of the region?
3. What is the preferred strategy to realise the vision?
4. What are the best implementation mechanisms?
Opportunities / Challenges
• Opportunities for aligned planning and investment
• Maori economic participation and investment
• Connectivity to the Upper North Island
•
•
•
•
Declining rural populations and decline in services
An aging population and shrinking skill base
Economic inequalities across the region
Declining water quality and competition for allocation
165k household
in 30y
NZ’s most aged
community
Spatial Illustration
Waikato’s forecasted
of
Demographic
population growth
Greatest forecasted Challenges
population decline
What might we achieve
• A collective strategic response to demographic change
• Improve the planning framework
• Improved engagement with Crown agencies on service
delivery
• Methods for coordination of ‘effort’ going forward –
reduceding duplication
• Investment towards shared high priority regional issues
• Efficiency savings for NZ Inc and Waikato Ratepayers
Current Approach
Vision &
Goals
P
r
o
g
r
e
s
s
5
10
15
20
Strategy Timeline
25
30
Alternate Approach
Vision &
Goals
P
r
o
g
r
e
s
s
5
10
15
20
Strategy Timeline
25
30
Vision
Vision
'Waikato Story'
vision informs the
Waikato Plan vision
Lead agency: (WRC)
- in partnership with
the Joint Committee
Example Goal 1
Issues:
Goal:
Aging population
Lead agency:
To positively respond
to demographic
change
Population growth and decline
Mayoral Forum with
Iwi and central
government
Infrastructure and service
delivery
Enabling the Maori economy
Example Goal 2
Goal:
Issues:
To strategically
manage and
allocate water
Water quality decline
Water Use
Important economic
sectors
Lead agency: WRC
with Iwi, central
government and
local authorities
Example Goal 3
Goal:
Issues:
To streamline our
planning
framework
Making Business Easier
Aligned planning
Infrastructure and service
delivery
Lead agency
Mayoral Forum with
central government,
and local authorities
Next steps
Mayoral Forum to:
1. Endorse the approach proposed
2. Recommend this approach to the Joint Committee
3. Delivery from project team for 18th May meeting