Find your way into your AMP Review

LTP documents

You’ve just recovered from the last one, and now the next AMP review is due. Can you relate to this scenario?

The pressure’s mounting, your calendar is already full, and somehow you need to find time for this substantial piece of work. Your computer dings to remind you about a meeting due to start in 15 minutes. It’s not really worth going back into that document right now so you grab a coffee instead, knowing it’s going to be another late night because you really have to make a start on that AMP review.

Later that night, at home, you turn on your computer. But where to start?

Take one small action

If you need to break the cycle of feeling so overwhelmed that you avoid getting started, here’s one tiny, decisive action right now. Before finishing this article, allocate a focused four-hour block in your calendar for your scoping process. Plan to be in a quiet location where interruptions won’t derail your concentration, and schedule it during your peak performance hours (morning for early birds, afternoon for others).

Taking this single action shifts you from reactive to proactive mode. And after booking this time, the rest of this article will help you make good use of this protected block of time.

Carry out a scoping process for your AMP

A scoping process will help you to see what needs to be done, and will lead naturally to a project plan of achievable steps. Here are the three steps to follow during your scoping process.

Step 1

Read the key sections of the 2024 version of the AMP, noting what has changed since that document was written.

The strategic direction/context chapter is a great place to start, to think about how events in the past three years are affecting your activity. This may include climate change-related events, other natural hazards, growth, legislative changes, and changes in your council’s spending priorities following the 2025 election, and/or due to recovery costs associated with a significant natural hazard event.

Your improvement plan is another important chapter to review. Note what actions have been completed, and which haven’t.

Skim the remainder of the document for any other details which are now out of date, or will need updating.

Step 2

Prepare a list of the questions you need to answer before making changes to the strategic context chapter of your AMP, what information you need to research, what data needs to be collated, and what things you need to ask other people in your organisation.

Step 3

Write a scoping document for your project that identifies: the extent of changes to be made; the key issues; new data or other information; relevant council documents; and external documents.

Include these topics in your AMP scoping document

Extent of changes to be made

Note any required changes to the structure of the document, as well as the chapters which will need the most changes and the chapters which will only need a few tweaks.

This will help you to estimate the time required to complete your AMP review.

Key issues

List the key issues that your document needs to address. This list is likely to include updates on issues already identified in the 2021 version, and some new issues. You can also remove any issues from the 2021 AMP that have now been resolved.

New data and other information

Do you have any new asset condition data to be include in the AMP?

Has the implementation of the 2021 improvement plan provided you with new information to reflect in the 2024 AMP?

Relevant council documents

List the council documents that you will need to refer to while completing the review of your document. Here are some that you may need to include:

  • your council’s most recent climate change strategy and/or implementation plan, and climate change risk assessments
  • records of community feedback related to specific assets, including responses to any relevant questions in residents’ satisfaction surveys
  • growth strategy
  • development contributions policy
  • spatial plans
  • any changes to resource management documents (at a district or regional level)
  • the most recent annual plan, signaling any changes in spending priorities
  • your council’s strategic/spending priorities and community outcomes
  • any relevant reserve management plans
  • the 2024 Long Term Plan, infrastructure strategy, financial strategy and funding policy.

Don’t get bogged down with reading these documents at the scoping stage. Just note what they are, and where to access them.

Central government direction

What central government legislation, plans, guidance or policy statements might be relevant to your AMP?

Examples include:

  • Resource management and water-related reforms
  • National policy statements or national environmental standards

Again, don’t get lost in the weeds, just note what might be relevant and move on to the next step.

Use your scoping notes to prepare an AMP project plan

Your scoping notes give you the basis for planning a successful AMP review.

Use these insights to create a detailed project plan that divides the work into clear, manageable tasks with specific deadlines. This methodical approach will give you peace of mind while you’re busy with other tasks that you can complete your AMP within the time available, and it will give you clear guidance on what to do during your next scheduled block of uninterrupted time.

By following this structured process, you’ll have the thinking time you need to deliver an AMP that stands up to scrutiny and serves your council effectively for the next three years.

Ready to get stuck in to your AMP review?

Download Three AI Prompts to Kickstart Your AMP Review to help you complete your scoping process.

Alternatively, please get in touch if you’d like direct help with your AMP.

I have capacity to take on one more AMP project, beginning in April, so please get in touch if this timeframe is feasible for you.