Here’s an overview of the key steps involved in preparing your 2024 infrastructure strategy, and some ideas for the scoping phase of the project.
How to review your infrastructure strategy
Key steps in the process are:
- scoping
- interviews with staff to identify what has changed since the 2021 strategy was drafted
- putting it all together in a revised version
- review of the amended strategy by key staff across your council (including strategic and resource management planners) to ensure alignment with your council’s strategic objectives, the financial strategy and resource management plans
- approval of the strategy via a report to your infrastructure committee.
Suggestions for your scoping process
- Look at the 2021 infrastructure strategies prepared by other councils with similar strategic issues to your council.
- Ask the policy planners at your council for details of any research they have commissioned, or policy development they are working on, which could be relevant to the strategic issues in your Infrastructure Strategy — both to ensure alignment and to promote a collaborative approach.
- Look at the 2021 infrastructure strategies of better-resourced councils. They may have had more staff/consultant time available to research issues your council is also facing.
- Consider the implications of central government direction, including Three Waters Reform, the Emissions Reduction Plan, the National Adaptation Plan and the Draft New Zealand Infrastructure Strategy (2022).
- Brainstorm what else has changed in the past three years.
- Consider what new information you now have in your Asset Management Plans and other documents.
- Think about the structure of your document — do you clearly identify the most significant challenges and the preferred approaches to address them?
- If your team is stretched for time, consider getting help with the drafting of new text. Your asset engineers’ time may be better spent on providing specialist input than crafting the overall document.
Need help with your infrastructure strategy?
Please get in touch if you identify a need for writing or editing support during the review of your infrastructure strategy.
