Information for councils: Preparing to submit a proposal

This page contains information for councils about how to prepare to submit a light-touch proposal for Regional Deals.

Key deadlines

Milestone	Date
Regions confirm intent to develop a regional deal proposal	18 December 2024
Regions submit light-touch proposals to DIA	28 February 2025

Register your region’s intent to submit a proposal

• Registration form (DOCX, 48KB)

Register your region’s intent to submit a light-touch proposal by 18 December 2024 using the registration form that has been provided to you (also above).

The form requests information about which councils form your Regional Deals region (council grouping), key contact details, and a summary of projects or focus areas that may form a part of your light-touch proposal (if known). Regions must include one regional council and regional councils may choose to participate in more than one council grouping.

Please note that ‘regions’ in the context of Regional Deals could be regional, sub-regional or another appropriate scale, so long as they are defined economic and geographic areas with functional local authorities.

We prefer the council groupings that you register with us don’t change after 18 December 2024, but if they do, please re-submit your registration form to RegionalDeals@dia.govt.nz with the updated details and the reason for the change. 

Submit your light-touch proposal to Te Tari Taiwhenua

• Light-touch proposal application form (DOCX, 88KB)

Work together with other councils on your light-touch proposal and projects/initiatives you want to propose as part of a regional deal. Submit one light-touch proposal only per council grouping (region) by 28 February 2025 using the light-touch proposal application form provided to you (also above). The proposal should be approved by all councils included in the proposal. 

Applications will only be accepted from a region comprising two or more district or city councils, including their relative regional council, that are working together to propose a Regional Deal. Auckland Council may choose to form a proposal alone or with other councils. 

Please note: The Department of Internal Affairs acknowledges information it receives in this template may include confidential information of the applicant, including commercially sensitive information. The Department will keep the information confidential, unless obliged to disclose it (such as by law under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA)), or until it no longer remains confidential (such as being in the public arena generally). Where a relevant OIA request is received, the Department will consult with councils.

What to include in your proposal

The light-touch proposal application form provides information about what to include in your proposal.

Each regional deal will be bespoke to the specific opportunities in your region, but each will share commonalities. Your proposal should outline the economic objectives and project outcomes that your region proposes to deliver. It should also include what actions your region will take to unlock or enable growth, and what policy, legislative or other actions your region needs from central government to assist in achieving the objectives of the regional deals strategic framework.

All proposals should reflect the Regional Deals’ 30-year vision and projects for the first 10 years should help to achieve that vision.

A maximum of five projects or initiatives will be considered as part of a regional deal.

Light-touch in the context of your proposal means that you should provide brief answers to the questions provided in the template. You should not prepare a full business case or deal proposition at this stage. And you are not encouraged to use external consultants or to prepare detailed supporting information to complete the light-touch proposal.

For more information

For further questions, please contact your Department of Affairs (DIA) Partnership Director below or email us at RegionalDeals@dia.govt.nz.