Late Reports Agenda of Ordinary Council meeting

Ordinary Council meeting Agenda

24 March 2026

11 Business

11.11 Submission to Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Long Term Plan Amendment

File Number: A19923453

Author: Cashy Ball, Principal Advisor to the Executive

Annabel Bayes, Strategic Advisor to the Mayor

Authoriser: Craig Rice, Chief Operating and Financial Officer

Purpose of the Report

1. The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval of Tauranga City Council’s submission on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC) Long Term Plan Amendment (LTPA) consultation. The draft submission is included as Attachment 1.

Recommendations

That the Council:

(a) Receives the report "Submission to Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Long Term Plan Amendment".

(b) Approves the draft submission “Tauranga City Council Submission to Bay of Plenty District Council’s Long Term Plan Amendment 2024-34” included as Attachment 1 to this report, for lodging with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, with the following amendments:

(i) (to be added during the meeting if necessary).

(c) Delegates authority to the Mayor to approve any minor drafting, typographical or presentation amendments as required prior to lodging the submission ahead of the 2 April 2026 deadline.

Executive Summary

2. BOPRC is consulting concurrently on its Annual Plan 2026/27 and a proposed Long Term Plan Amendment 2024–2034, with submissions closing 2 April 2026. Consultation seeks feedback on:

· Proposed structural changes to the governance and management of BOPRC’s regional investment portfolio (LTPA).

· Establishing a one‑year Regional Benefit Fund in 2026/27 and feedback on investment in indigenous biodiversity (Annual Plan topics).

3. The attached draft submission focuses on principles relevant to the LTPA, including intergenerational protection of regional investment assets, the need for legislative safeguards, independent investment governance, and the clear separation of investment and distribution roles.

4. Approval is sought to finalise and lodge the submission.

Background

5. BOPRC’s consultation document outlines its proposal to amend the Long Term Plan to enable a revised structure for managing its investment portfolio, currently valued at over $3 billion. Feedback is sought on four structural options and associated changes to its Financial Strategy and Significance and Engagement Policy

6. The consultation also seeks community views on:

· Whether to establish a Regional Benefit Fund for 2026/27, funded through reserves and an increased dividend from Quayside Holdings.

· The level of investment in indigenous biodiversity, ahead of the development of the Regional Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy.

7. The draft submission proposes a set of principles for long‑term protection and governance of the regional fund. These are presented for Council consideration.

Submission

8. The key themes of the draft submission include:

· Intergenerational protection of the regional investment fund (capital plus inflation).

· The importance of legislative ring‑fencing to maintain the real value of capital and provide resilience to election cycles.

· Independent investment governance supported by a professional Statement of Investment Principles and Objectives.

· A clear separation of investment and distribution functions.

· Support in principle for transparent and equitable regional benefit funding mechanisms.

· Acknowledgement of the need for timing caution given wider local government reform.

9. The submission does not respond to each consultation question individually, focusing instead on principles appropriate for TCC advocacy at a regional level.

Statutory Context

10. Under the Local Government Act 2002, councils are required to promote the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of their communities in the present and for the future (section 10). Preparing a submission to BOPRC’s Long Term Plan Amendment is consistent with this purpose, as the proposal relates to the governance, protection and future use of regional investment assets that affect Tauranga residents.

STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT

11. This contributes to the promotion or achievement of the following strategic community outcome(s):

	Contributes
We are an inclusive city	☐
We value, protect and enhance the environment	ü
We are a well-planned city that is easy to move around	ü
We are a city that supports business and education	ü
We are a vibrant city that embraces events	☐

12. Stable regional investment governance and transparent funding mechanisms help support long term regional economic development, future infrastructure investment, environmental programmes, biodiversity investments, and improves regional outcomes that underpin Tauranga’s economic base.

Financial Considerations

13. There are no direct financial implications associated with lodging this submission. The topic of the submission could impact Tauranga ratepayers in the long term.

Legal Implications / Risks

14. Lodging the submission is consistent with Council’s functions under the Local Government Act 2002. This report raises no legal risks.

TE AO MĀORI APPROACH

15. The draft submission concerns governance and financial arrangements at a regional level. While it does not include specific tangata whenua‑related submission points, it recognises that BOPRC’s investment decisions have long‑term implications for environmental wellbeing.

CLIMATE IMPACT

16. The submission does not make specific climate‑related recommendations. However, the way BOPRC governs and allocates regional investment income has an indirect bearing on climate resilience and environmental funding.

Consultation / Engagement

17. The draft submission has been prepared based on direction from the Mayor and internal analysis of BOPRC’s consultation material. No additional external engagement has been undertaken due to timeframes.

Significance

18. The Local Government Act 2002 requires an assessment of the significance of matters, issues, proposals and decisions in this report against Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy. Council acknowledges that in some instances a matter, issue, proposal or decision may have a high degree of importance to individuals, groups, or agencies affected by the report.

19. In making this assessment, consideration has been given to the likely impact, and likely consequences for:

(a) the current and future social, economic, environmental, or cultural well-being of the district or region

(b) any persons who are likely to be particularly affected by, or interested in, the matter.

20. In accordance with the considerations above, criteria and thresholds in the policy, it is considered that the matter is of low significance.

21. BOPRC’s decision regarding the future of the fund may have significant implications, but that is not a Council decision.

ENGAGEMENT

22. Taking into consideration the above assessment, that the matter is of low significance, officers are of the opinion that no further engagement is required prior to Council making a decision.

Next Steps

23. Following Council approval:

· The submission will be finalised and lodged with BOPRC before 2 April 2026.

· The Mayor may present the submission at hearings in April.

Attachments

1. Draft TCC submission BOPRC Long Term Plan Amendment - A19954701 ⇩


SUPPLEMENTARY AGENDA Ordinary Council meeting Tuesday, 24 March 2026

Date:	Tuesday, 24 March 2026
Time:	9:30 am
Location:	Tauranga City Council Chambers L1, 90 Devonport Road Tauranga
Please note that this meeting will be livestreamed and the recording will be publicly available on Tauranga City Council's website: www.tauranga.govt.nz.
Marty Grenfell Chief Executive