Strategic direction sets Waikato Regional Council up for future change

Waikato Regional Council has clearly signalled its part in lifting regional productivity and safeguarding natural resources with a new strategic direction for the next decade. 

The 2026-2036 strategic direction was adopted unanimously during the February council meeting. 

Recognising the need to provide strong direction during a period of significant change and pending local government reform, one of the five key priorities is to ensure a future-fit organisation. 

The others are productivity and prosperity; building regional resilience; sustaining natural resources; optimised transport system. The five priorities will be used to shape business cases and funding proposals for next year’s long term plan. 

The council report said the strategic direction aims to prepare the council to successfully transition – to ‘lift and shift’ – into any future. This requires an organisation that is future-fit, high-performing, informed by people’s experiences and grounded in evidence-based decision making, it said.

Woven throughout the document is the need for deep community engagement and high quality evidence and insights for decision makers to take full and balanced account of environmental, social and economic costs and benefits, the report said.

Waikato Regional Council Chair Warren Maher said the council’s overarching ambition is to lift the region’s productivity and prosperity by managing natural resources sustainably.

“For us, it’s about safeguarding our natural resources and making it easy for firms to do business in the Waikato region,” he said.

“It’s also been really important for our strategic direction to clearly signal the council’s commitment to the ongoing delivery of essential regional services in the face of significant changes.”

Each priority has progress measures for the 2026-2029 period, which can be tracked in the detailed plans and actions on the council website and in annual reports.

The strategic direction will be available online at waikatoregion.govt.nz/strategic-direction 

The council meeting was recorded and livestreamed. You can find it online at: https://youtube.com/live/5lC-yYvkqDI?feature=share