Stage One: Discover

Integrity Survey

Our Integrity Survey is an early intervention tool designed to help you identify strengths and areas for improvement.

Find out more

Performance Assessment Framework

The Performance Assessment Framework (PAF) is a key part of the discovery process. It’s a tool that helps assessors gather the information they need to evaluate your council’s performance and get ready for the onsite visit.

This assessment gives your council a chance to openly discuss challenges and successes. Each priority area is broken down into main themes, each with discovery questions and space to attach any supporting evidence like plans, strategies, or policies.

Once the PAF is complete, the senior leadership team and the Mayor/Chair — or a wider group of elected members — will review all the evidence internally before submitting the PAF.

PRIORITY 1: GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP, AND STRATEGY

Te Korowai provides a framework to enhance council governance, strategy, and leadership capabilities. This assessment empowers councils to foster inclusive decision-making, uphold integrity, and achieve sustainable community outcomes by strengthening vision alignment, stakeholder engagement, operational efficiency, and accountability.

Priority 1 covers:

  • Vision, goals, and strategy
  • Council business
  • Advice, reporting and decision-making
  • Chief Executive development and performance
  • Elected member development and performance
  • Partnership with iwi and mana whenua

PRIORITY 2: FINANCIAL DECISION-MAKING AND TRANSPARENCY

Effective financial management and performance reporting are essential for councils to responsibly steward public funds and govern effectively. This assessment aims to empower councils to optimise resource allocation, maintain financial sustainability, and uphold high standards of governance. By evaluating financial strategies, the use of financial data in decision-making, risk management, and reporting practices, councils demonstrate accountability to their communities.

Priority 2 covers:

  • Financial planning and performance reporting
  • Budgeting and cost allocation
  • Audit, risk and control
  • Financial and non-financial performance
  • Transparency
  • Investment assets

PRIORITY 3: SERVICE DELIVERY AND ASSET MANAGEMENT

Assessing service delivery and asset management is vital for councils to ensure their operations meet community needs. This helps align services and asset management with the council's vision and goals, enabling them to deliver sustainable, cost-effective, high-quality services that meet regulations and public expectations, while ensuring long-term community well-being and satisfaction.

Since different councils have different responsibilities, which affect how they manage services and assets, priority three takes these differences into account.

Priority 3 covers:

  • Aligning services with outcomes
  • Determining, monitoring, and assessing service levels
  • Asset management
  • People, capability and culture
  • Community services
  • Transport
  • Capital projects
  • Regional, district and spatial planning
  • Regulatory services
  • Community resilience

PRIORITY 4: COMMUNICATING AND ENGAGING WITH THE PUBLIC AND BUSINESS

Effective communication and engagement are vital for councils to build trust, transparency, and community satisfaction. This assessment involves creating a strategy to connect with the community, partner with iwi/Māori, and engage with businesses and key stakeholders. It empowers councils to strengthen relationships, enhance accountability, and achieve community-focused outcomes.

Priority 4 covers:

  • Communication and engagement strategy
  • Crisis management
  • Media
  • Engagement with Central Government
  • Engagement with Māori/iwi
  • Engagement with business

PRIORITY 5: TE TIRITI O WAITANGI

Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi is crucial for local government. This assessment supports councils in ensuring that 'kāwanatanga' duties are not overstepped, respecting the 'tino rangatiratanga' guaranteed to Māori. It aims to enhance Māori representation and participation in council activities, foster effective engagement with Māori communities, and prioritise ongoing professional development in Te Tiriti, te reo, and tikanga.

Priority 5 covers:

  • Understanding obligations
  • Engagement with Māori
  • Professional development

PRIORITY 6: CLIMATE CHANGE

Local government directly experiences the effects of climate change on people's lives, infrastructure and businesses. This assessment offers a framework for councils to evaluate and improve their readiness and response to climate change. It guides councils in conducting thorough risk assessments, covering exposure to hazards and vulnerabilities. This priority area aims to help councils build resilience and response capabilities for effective climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Priority 6 covers:

  • Risk assessment and adaptation planning
  • Mitigation readiness
  • Community engagement
  • Incorporation of cultural values, including tikanga Māori, into climate risk assessment and strategies
  • Capacity building

Priority areas 1-4 will be included in the outcome report. Priority areas 5 and 6 are purposely kept outside the assessment framework to allow for the different needs and approaches of councils across the country, depending on where they are in their development.