Waikato Plan reaches major milestone

The first full draft of a groundbreaking plan for the entire Waikato is aimed at creating a powerful new ‘‘voice’’ for the region and establishing a solid base to boost its well-being.

The initial draft – which focuses on a wide range of projects and actions – was on Monday received by the Waikato Plan joint committee made up of council leaders and key stakeholders.

‘‘The Waikato Plan is the first time councils, central government and other agencies in our region have worked together to create one plan that speaks with one voice about important issues.

‘‘It is a milestone document,’’ said the joint committee’s independent chair Margaret Devlin.

The committee confirmed the general approach the draft plan was taking and provided feedback on the details of it.

That will be taken into account in the final draft put out for public consultation next year.

The draft plan identifies regional priorities and details how these can be achieved by outlining who is responsible for what, and in what timeframe.

‘‘The Waikato Plan, for the first time, joins the dots to ensure that complex issues, which don’t sit neatly with one agency, will be addressed systematically by working together,’’ Devlin said.

Four priorities are outlined in the draft plan: planning for population change, getting investment right, partnering with iwi Maori, and addressing issues around the allocation and quality of fresh water.