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Local Government Act 2002

Planning, decision-making, and accountability - Planning and decision-making - Planning

93: Long-term plan

You could also call this:

“A long-term plan tells people what a local council does and wants to do for their area”

You must always have a long-term plan for your local area. This plan is important because it tells people what your local authority does and what it wants to achieve.

To make a long-term plan, you need to ask the community what they think. This is called a special consultative procedure. You must do this when you first make the plan and if you want to change it later.

The long-term plan starts at the beginning of the first year it covers and lasts for three years. You can change it at any time, but you need to ask the community first.

The plan has several purposes. It describes what your local authority does and what outcomes it wants for the community. It helps make decisions and use resources wisely. It also looks at the long-term future and helps the local authority be accountable to the community.

Your long-term plan must cover at least 10 years and include specific information required by Part 1 of Schedule 10.

When making the plan, you need to think about what’s appropriate for your area. You should consider things like how important different issues are and what resources you have available. You also need to look at several other parts of the law that explain how to make decisions and consult with the community.

After you finish the long-term plan, you must make it available for everyone to see within one month.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM172344.

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Part 6 Planning, decision-making, and accountability
Planning and decision-making: Planning

93Long-term plan

  1. A local authority must, at all times, have a long-term plan under this section.

  2. A local authority must use the special consultative procedure in adopting a long-term plan.

  3. A long-term plan must be adopted before the commencement of the first year to which it relates, and continues in force until the close of the third consecutive year to which it relates.

  4. A local authority may amend a long-term plan at any time.

  5. A local authority must use the special consultative procedure in making any amendment to a long-term plan.

  6. The purpose of a long-term plan is to—

  7. describe the activities of the local authority; and
    1. describe the community outcomes of the local authority's district or region; and
      1. provide integrated decision-making and co-ordination of the resources of the local authority; and
        1. provide a long-term focus for the decisions and activities of the local authority; and
          1. provide a basis for accountability of the local authority to the community.

              1. A long-term plan adopted under this section must—

              2. cover a period of not less than 10 consecutive financial years; and
                1. include the information required by Part 1 of Schedule 10.

                  1. A local authority must, in complying with the requirements of this Act in relation to the preparation and adoption of a long-term plan, act in such manner, and include in that plan such detail, as the local authority considers on reasonable grounds to be appropriate.

                  2. A local authority must, in deciding what is appropriate for the purposes of subsection (8), have regard to—

                  3. the provisions of sections 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 96, 97, and 101; and
                    1. the significance of any matter; and
                      1. the extent of the local authority's resources.

                        1. A local authority must, within 1 month after the adoption of its long-term plan, make the plan publicly available.

                        Notes
                        • Section 93 heading: amended, on , by section 49 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 124).
                        • Section 93(1): amended, on , by section 49 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 124).
                        • Section 93(2): amended, on , by section 49 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 124).
                        • Section 93(3): amended, on , by section 49 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 124).
                        • Section 93(4): amended, on , by section 49 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 124).
                        • Section 93(5): amended, on , by section 49 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 124).
                        • Section 93(6): amended, on , by section 49 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 124).
                        • Section 93(6)(e): amended, on , by section 30(1) of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2014 (2014 No 55).
                        • Section 93(6)(f): repealed, on , by section 30(2) of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2014 (2014 No 55).
                        • Section 93(7): amended, on , by section 49 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 124).
                        • Section 93(8): amended, on , by section 49 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 124).
                        • Section 93(9): amended, on , by section 12 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 63).
                        • Section 93(10): replaced, on , by section 16 of the Local Government Regulatory Systems Amendment Act 2019 (2019 No 6).