It’s time to decide what’s next for the Bay of Plenty and we need your help to make sure we get it right for future generations. With your input we can ensure we deliver and fund the right work, in a way that creates the best possible outcomes for our communities.

What we do

Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s role involves looking after our environment, which includes our land air and water, and also public transport and sustainable development for the region.

The Long Term Plan

Every three years we work with our community to produce a Long Term Plan. The Long Term Plan sets our strategic direction for the next ten years, including the work we will deliver and how that work will be funded.

We are currently working on our 2024 – 2034 Long Term Plan and would like to hear your thoughts to help us shape what goes into our draft plan.

Community challenges

Council is very aware of community affordability when it comes to the services it provides. Current economic challenges, including a cost of living crisis, combined with climate change events, such as cyclones, are having a significant impact on what council needs to deliver. We’re seeking your views on where we should focus our efforts as we draft the Long Term Plan.

A range of engagement events happened during the consultation period (8 March-9 April) to encourage community to make submissions.

Connect with your councillors

Some of our Councillors offered drop-in sessions for community on a trial basis from 26 February-22 April. Meet with your elected representatives to discuss what matters to you. No appointment necessary.

Talk to us at a community event:

• Bayfair Shopping Centre Pop Up, Mount Maunganui, Saturday 16 March, 9am – 6pm
• Rangitaiki River Festival, Thornton Beach, Saturday 16 March
• Multicultural Festival, Historic Village, Tauranga, Saturday 23 March, 10am – 5pm
• Kuirau Park Markets, Rotorua, Saturday 23 March, 7am – 1.30pm
• Business at Breakfast, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, 1 Elizabeth Street, Tauranga, Thursday 4 April, 7-9am

Our Friend of the Submitter service provided independent support to help make submissions. The Friend of Submitters service was provided by the Council to remove barriers and foster participation in the Long Term Plan. A limited time per submitter was available. There is no cost for this service.

At least twenty requests for support were made to the Friends of the Submitter service as part of the Long Term Plan consultation.

If you are planning to request funding from Council through the Long Term Plan, please attach a completed Community Initiatives Fund (CIF) application form with your submission. Further information, including a CIF application form is available here

Submissions have now closed, and staff are preparing for the hearings process. If you are one of the 121 individuals or organisations who indicated you would like to speak to your submission, you will hear from us shortly.

At a hearing, you have the opportunity to speak to the decision makers about your submission.

• You can do this in person, or if you prefer by zoom. You are welcome to bring people to support you.
• These are public meetings, so your name and submission will be made available on the Regional Council’s website.
• If you would like to present in Te Reo Māori or NZ sign language, please arrange this in advance so we can organise translators.
• Each submitter will have a set time period to speak.
• Please arrive 10 minutes before your speaking time and check in with the registration desk when you arrive.
• If you want to share a presentation, please let us know in advance and bring a copy with you on a memory stick/ USB.
• Councillors may ask questions to better understand your suggestions or concerns.
• No decisions regarding your submissions will be made at the hearings as this will happen at the Deliberations Meeting.

Hearings are open to the public and you are welcome to attend in person or watch the live stream online where available.

A hearings schedule is being prepared and a hearings pack with a summary of almost 400 submissions.

• Friday 10 May- Huria Marae, 1 Te Kaponga Street, Brookfield, Tauranga - Pōwhiri at 9am, hearings commence at 9:30am
• Tuesday 14 May from 9:30am- Bay of Plenty Regional Council, 5 Quay Street, Whakatāne
• Wednesday 15 May from 9:30am- Rotorua Lakes Council building, Civic Centre, 1061 Haupapa Street, Rotorua
• Thursday 16 May from 9:30am, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, 1 Elizabeth Street, Tauranga

Thanks to everyone to took part in the Your Bay Your Way surveys we ran in September and October 2023. Over 1600 Bay of Plenty residents had their say and findings from the surveys were used to help inform our next Long Term Plan which we are now consulting on.

A summary of the early feedback received from community was shared with council on 25 October. A copy of the survey results is available here.