City and Regional Deals
Return to Local Government Policy
Promoting economic growth, delivering infrastructure, and improving the supply of quality housing across Aotearoa.
City and Regional Deals is the Government’s initiative for establishing long-term agreements between central and local government. The programme unlocks funding and resource opportunities to support councils to make improvements in their region, for example to roads, infrastructure, and the supply of quality housing.
The CRDs programme aspires to deliver game-changing outcomes, including delivering infrastructure and/or change that ensures significantly higher economic growth for regions through a Deal.
This will be achieved through Deals that:
- identify and deliver on the unique economic potential for each region and magnify growth in the area;
- enable tailored solutions to address specific place-based challenges; and
- align local and central government priorities and drive co-ordinated policy solutions.
Each deal is unique and built around the shared goal of supporting communities across New Zealand to grow and thrive. By forging partnerships between councils, and engaging private sector and Māori organisations, each region can prioritise its unique needs to work towards long-term and localised economic resilience and growth.
What is a City and Regional deal?
City and Regional deals will be enduring and will provide the certainty needed to attract and retain the necessary investments to deliver change. Deals make use of existing resources rather than relying solely on new funding, with central and local governments aligning our budget cycles and investment strategies to ensure resources can be used effectively.
Each deal will cater to local priorities while sharing the following foundational components:
- Each deal will be based on a 30-year vision for the region.
- Each deal will have a 10-year strategic plan with clear outcomes and actions required to achieve them.
- Deals will rely on existing resources to achieve shared goals over new funding.
- Deals establish a framework through which new funding can be allocated as it becomes available.
Regions for City and Regional Deals can include regional, sub-regional, or other suitable areas, as long as they are clearly defined economic and geographic areas with functioning local authorities.
Memoranda of Understanding
(Published 4 September 2025)
Memoranda of Understanding (Complete) - Auckland, Otago Central Lakes, Western Bay of Plenty (PDF, 7.8MB)
Individual Memoranda of Understanding
Memorandum of Understanding - Auckland (PDF, 3MB)
Memorandum of Understanding - Otago Central Lakes (PDF, 2.9MB)
Memorandum of Understanding - Western Bay of Plenty (PDF, 2.8MB)
Memoranda of Understanding are formal documents that outline the shared intentions and objectives of Central Government and the selected regions, prior to discussions and negotiations towards a City and Regional Deal. While not legally binding, Memoranda of Understanding set the foundation for collaboration by:
- Clarifying regional priorities and aspirations.
- Establishing a shared vision for economic growth and investment.
- Signalling commitment from both central and local governments to work together.
- Guiding the next phase of detailed planning and negotiation.
Memoranda of Understanding are an important first step in the deal process, helping ensure that all parties are aligned before formal agreements are developed.
Confidentiality and Transparency
While Memoranda of Understanding are designed to foster open collaboration, they may also contain confidential elements. As deal discussions progress, more detailed information will be shared to support transparency and public engagement.
Cabinet Paper and Minute of Decision
Proactive release of Cabinet material related to progressing City and Regional Deals (Complete) (PDF, 2.7MB)
Cabinet Paper only (PDF, 1.8MB)
Cabinet Minute only (PDF, 1.3MB)
