Achieving these long-term outcomes is a team effort, involving partnerships with our community boards, mana whenua and Māori, as well as collaborations with government and non-government entities.

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Mana whenua and Māori

We recognise the takiwā of Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga, Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, Te Rūnanga o Koukourārata, Ōnuku Rūnanga, Wairewa Rūnanga, and Te Taumutu Rūnanga within our district. Since 2015, the relationship anchored by the Te Hononga Council – Papatipu Rūnanga Committee ensures both governance and ongoing kōrero between the Council and these Rūnanga.

While the Council specifically recognises the special relationship with mana whenua, we also engage with the wider Māori community, which includes all other iwi Māori (ngā maata waka).

In 2023, Ngā Papatipu Rūnanga shared their priorities during the early phases of the LTP, many of which are rooted in infrastructure. These insights reflect the shared desire to nurture the wellbeing of the land and its people. These included:

• Enabling and providing affordable housing.
• Access to safe drinking water supply and sources, protection of water sources; water quality monitoring.
• Management of stormwater systems to protect land and property, waterways and mahinga kai; sediment reduction.
• Protection and enhancement of reserves and native biodiversity.
• Adaptation planning by and with local communities and marae at risk of coastal hazards.
• Fit-for-purpose infrastructure, such as roads, footpaths and wharves, that enable access to local areas, sites of significance, waterways and coastal waters.
• Exploration of potential transfer of Council-owned land of importance to mana whenua.