4.3.3 Local board plans and agreements

Local board plans

Each local board develops a local board plan in the first year after every election. These must be adopted no later than 31 October in the year following the election.  The plan sets the direction for the board’s investment decisions and activities over the next three years. 

These plans: 

• outline the local board’s vision, strategic priorities, and desired outcomes 
• include key projects and initiatives 
• reflect the aspirations and priorities of local communities. 

Local board plans sit within Auckland Council’s wider planning framework. The Auckland Plan provides the overall direction for the region, while local board plans guide decisions and actions at the local level. 

Purpose of local board plans

A local board plan is designed to: 

• reflect the priorities and preferences of local communities about the level and type of local services to be provided by Auckland Council [1] 
• help the board communicate community interests and preferences to the Governing Body 
• form the basis for: 
  • developing the next three local board agreements and local board work programmes 
  • informing the development of the council’s next long-term plan 
  • the board’s accountability to its community 
• provide opportunities for people to participate in local decision-making. 

Community engagement

To develop a local board plan, each local board: 

• must use the special consultative procedure 
• undertakes informal engagement activities to ensure comprehensive engagement with their community and understand preferences and needs. 

Visit All local boards to read current local board plans. 

Local board agreements

Each year, local boards and the Governing Body must agree on a local board agreement as part of the council’s annual or long-term planning process. 

A local board agreement is: 

• effectively the annual plan for each board area 
• based on the priorities and preferences outlined in the board’s three-year local board plan. 

It includes the activities to be delivered in the area and the associated budget. 

What the agreement includes 

Each local board agreement is developed as part of Auckland Council’s annual plan. They must reflect the local board plan and cover: 

• the local activities to be delivered during the year in the board area  
• service levels, performance measures and targets, including any changes from the previous year and why they’ve changed 
• a funding statement explaining how any extra expenses will be paid for 
• any responsibilities delegated to the local board by the Governing Body 
• any bylaws to be implemented or enforced by the board at the Governing Body’s request [2]. 

All local board agreements are published in Auckland Council’s annual plan or long-term plan documentation [3]. 

 

 

Local board work programmes

Local board work programmes put the local board agreement and local board plan into action. The local board work programmes outline the specific activities and projects that council departments will deliver in each local board area. They are developed annually based on the key strategic priorities set out in the local board plan and advice provided by council staff on how priorities can be delivered.  

Key points: 

• Staff need to get local board approval for the local board work programmes before commencing activities and projects contained in the work programme (preferably before the start of the financial year). 
• Progress is reported quarterly to each local board. 

Footnotes

[1] Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 section 4 interpretation. 

[2] Auckland Council website Local Boards page

[3] Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 section 21.