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FAQs
What is One Plan?
What sort of results can we expect to see from One Plan?
What will it mean for Aucklanders?
When can we expect to see changes?
What is the time frame for One Plan?
Why One Plan when we already have other plans?
Why is One Plan different/better/necessary?
Who is leading One Plan?
Who else is involved?
Who is going to decide which actions are prioritised and how?
How much will it cost?
Who will pay for it?
How will we know if it has been successful?
Where did the idea for One Plan come from?
Has it been tried and tested elsewhere?
Does One Plan mean one council for the region?
What is the difference between One Plan and the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Auckland's governance? Will the Royal Commission of Inquiry affect One Plan?
What is One Plan?
One Plan for the Auckland region (One Plan) is a single framework and plan of action for the Auckland region.
One Plan developed out of an unprecedented partnership between local and central government, with a commitment to coordinated and integrated planning and implementation across the region. It emerged from community pressure to turn the region's strategies into action and to bring an improved regional focus to decision-making. One Plan is the responsibility of the Regional Sustainable Development Forum (RSDF), a collaborative political forum dedicated to the long-term sustainable development of the region.
One Plan's overall purpose as resolved by the RSDF at its inaugural meeting in February 2008 is to:
provide a detailed infrastructure plan to progress social, economic, environmental and cultural well being, and to strengthen the links between national and regional strategy, planning and action.
The first version of One Plan was endorsed in October 2008 and is focused on improving delivery of existing decisions and commitments. Longer-term, One Plan is about making and implementing better decisions. Those decisions will be guided by the Auckland Sustainability Framework's vision of a resilient region that can adapt to change.
In order to get some important things done while the One Plan process developed, the RSDF resolved that the first version of One Plan focus on a few significant actions. A three-pronged approach followed:
1. A package of One Plan programmes of action:
- Improving public transport
- Completing the network
- Digital Auckland
- Destination Auckland
- CBD and waterfront
- Building communities
- Growth through Skills
2. An inventory of currently identified infrastructure priorities and scope and timetable for the production of a regional infrastructure plan
3. A series of policy directions of high strategic priority which are to be addressed in future versions of One Plan.
What sort of results can we expect to see from One Plan?
What will it mean for Aucklanders?
Over the next 5 years we will see completion of a limited number of major regional programmes identified in One Plan.
One Plan will clarify the region's priorities which will result in greater certainty particularly for investment and funding allocation.
By bringing together projects from a number of existing individual plans, the One Plan approach will ‘get things done.'
We also expect to see stronger links between regional and national policy already demonstrated through the enhanced central government representation on the Regional Sustainable Development Forum.
When can we expect to see changes?
What is the time frame for One Plan?
We will see the completion of a limited number of key programmes over the next 10 years.
One Plan will be developed under a staged approach. As One Plan develops through successive versions it will become more comprehensive.
The first version of One Plan was completed and approved by the Regional Sustainable Development Forum on 10 October, and subsequently adopted by ARC on 28 October 2008.
Why One Plan when we already have other plans?
Why is One Plan different/better/necessary?
We already have a number of other regional strategies (sustainability, transport, growth, economic development) but these are not fully aligned into an overall direction or list of priorities. We currently have no way of bringing these different strategies together.
For example, a transport project will inevitably have economic impacts, will have to consider sustainability issues, and will be influenced to a large degree by present and future urban form. So, it makes sense that programmes are developed from across social, economic, environmental and cultural objectives. One Plan provides a tool for us to achieve a fully integrated approach.
There have also been a number of challenges to successfully implementing the region's plans and strategies. One Plan is a way that we can focus on ‘getting things done'.
Who is leading One Plan?
The Regional Sustainable Development Forum (RSDF) is leading One Plan. The RSDF is a collaborative political body comprising representatives from central, regional and local government as well as tangata whenua. Representatives from the following organisations and agencies sit on the Forum:
- The Auckland Councils:
Auckland Regional Council
Manukau City Council
Waitakere City Council
Auckland City Council
Papakura District Council
Rodney District Council
North Shore City Council
Franklin District Council - Central Government Organisations:
Department of Internal Affairs
Ministry of Economic Development
Ministry of Social Development
Ministry for the Environment
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet - Environment Waikato and Northland Regional Council
- Tangata Whenua
The Forum had its first meeting on 22 February 2008.
Who else is involved?
Wider public commitment and support is critical to the ultimate success of One Plan, and therefore public and stakeholder engagement and consultation is an important part of the design of the plan in the longer term.
Interim public consultation on the One Plan Version 1 programmes of action will occur through Council LTCCP processes in March-April 2009.
Who decided which One Plan Version 1 actions were prioritised and how?
The RSDF is responsible for selecting the priority programmes and evaluating them against a set of criteria. One Plan Version 1 programmes have been designed to join up action across existing regional strategies and the four wellbeings (social, economic, environmental and cultural).
Each One Plan Version 1 programme initially met the following criteria:
- Makes a significant contribution to the goals and shifts of the Auckland Sustainability Framework (delivering multiple outcomes)
- Supports central government policy platforms
- Makes a significant difference - offers the potential for transformational and profound change
- Regionally and nationally significant
Programmes of action identified using the filters above were then assessed in terms of:
- Achievability/affordability - is the planning well advanced and are funding and resources available to ensure successful implementation?
- Timeliness/urgency - are there agreed timeframes and will an important opportunity be missed if timely implementation is not achieved?
- Leverage opportunity - will the programme benefit from integration and prioritisation through One Plan e.g. achieving added value outcomes and by providing greater focus and certainty to key decisions, funding and timing?
How much will it cost?
Achievability is one of the criteria used to assess potential One Plan programmes. Successful programmes in the first version of One Plan, will either already have funding allocated or will need to have a high prospect of securing the necessary funding to ensure the programme can be delivered and will be a success.
Who will pay for it?
One Plan programmes will be funded by a number of different partner agencies that are likely to include local government, central government, infrastructure agencies and the private sector.
How will we know if it has been successful?
The RSDF receives regular updates on progress made relating to the seven programmes of action. The first such update was submitted to the Forum on 27 March.
Where did the idea for One Plan come from?
Has it been tried and tested elsewhere?
The concept of a One Plan emerged from community pressure to improve the quality of regional decision-making. In particular, this was a response to the need to deliver the infrastructure and services that will make Auckland the world-class city-region that it aspires to be.
In June 2007, the region completed the Strengthening Auckland's Regional Governance Final report. Central to the package of proposals put forward was:
- Establishment of a Regional Sustainable Development Forum
A coordinated, aligned, prioritised and funded One Plan dealing with regionally significant issues (the four well beings) and linking central government strategies and funding; with - Binding funding agreements negotiated/facilitated by the strengthened regional council as an outcome of the One Plan to ensure implementation of projects/programmes.
The region subsequently established the RSDF and initiated work to develop the first version of One Plan for the Auckland region.
One Plan was also identified in the Metro Action Plan (2006). It contributes to achieving Metro Action Plan objective 1.1.1, to deliver a single plan for the Auckland city-region, and, to objective 2.1.1 to plan for all infrastructure within the wider context of a single vision for the Auckland city-region.
There are numerous international examples of integrated approaches to planning and delivery similar to One Plan. Metropolitan regional strategy and action plans are common internationally and examples include Sydney's ‘City of Cities', ‘Melbourne 2030', Vancouver's ‘CityPlan', and London's ‘The City Together'.
Does One Plan mean one council for the region?
No, One Plan refers to an integrated strategy and action plan which will be implemented by all of the councils of the Auckland region together with a number of partner agencies. It does not affect boundaries and representation of local government.
What is the difference between One Plan and the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Auckland's governance? Will the Royal Commission of Inquiry affect One Plan?
The Royal Commission was established by central government as an independent process to investigate long-term governance and institutional arrangements. One Plan is a plan of action intiated by the councils of the region in coordination with central government which seeks to improve the implementation of decisions.
It is expected that the outcomes of Royal Commission of Inquiry and the collaborative development of the One Plan for Auckland will complement each other and maintain momentum towards achieving the goal of stronger governance for Auckland. Each will play a significant role in ensuring Auckland's future as a vibrant, internationally competitive place in which to live, work and do business.