Council confirms commitment to regional economic development

Waikato Regional Council will work with stakeholders over the next four months to develop an operating model and business case for regional economic development.

The decision comes as a result of the regional economic development agency Te Waka ceasing operations at the end of June.

“We remain committed to supporting economic development and ensuring a unified voice for the Waikato,” said Chair Pamela Storey.

“The regional leadership approach is about drawing on the efforts and expertise of well-established organisations and networks in the Waikato to deliver the best for our communities.

“In choosing an option for further development, it was important for us to find a balance between enabling the economic growth of our region and ensuring the affordability for our ratepayers, recognising that many are already under financial pressure.”

A report to the September meeting of council said many committed and capable government and non-government organisations had been working together since Te Waka closed and would be reconvening the Waikato Economic Development Forum from October 2024.

This forum was established many years ago as a valued mechanism for practitioners to discuss ongoing delivery and coordination. The October meeting, organised by Soda, will be an opportunity to reconnect the group and refresh objectives and ways of working together.

However, the report noted that even with an effective network, an identifiable ‘go-to’ body was needed to consistently support cross-organisation collaboration and provide the ‘virtual front door’ for off-shore or government investors expecting the region to engage as a collective.

Councillors were presented with three options for discussion at their meeting:

• the status quo, with Waikato Regional Council continuing its existing commitments with no increase in resourcing for regional development
• a regional economic development organisation operating with council funding as a council-controlled organisation (CCO)
• a regional leadership partnership approach, requiring additional resource at Waikato Regional Council, to empower and enable regional economic development.

Councillors voted to progress a business case for a regional leadership approach, noting that it didn’t exclude a council controlled organisation eventuating in future. The business case will be considered next February through development of the 2025/26 Annual Plan.

The approach includes a leadership group comprising members from local and central government, iwi, business, private sector, and regional delivery that supports the work of economic development entities on the ground. It is anticipated Waikato Regional Council would convene the leadership group, facilitate alignment of activities and investment, and lead the development of a regional spatial plan.

Councillors also agreed to allocate up to $100,000 from prior year surplus to inform regional development activities. The activities will include the preparation of high-level profiles of the region’s economic communities of interest alongside a decision framework to identify roles and responsibilities for identified areas, strategies and implementation.

This meeting was livestreamed.