A council’s corporate plan must comply with the Local Government Finance Plans and Reporting Regulation 2010 which requires:

• an outline of the strategic direction of the local government
• the performance indicators which will be used to measure progress towards achieving the vision in the community plan
• an explanation of how the implementation of the community plan will be progressed for the duration of the five-year corporate plan.

The corporate plan must also state the consultation process used in its preparation, for example, the council’s community engagement policy will guide the consultation process.

The corporate plan must also demonstrate clear links to the 10-year community plan:

The components of a council’s corporate plan may comprise the following:

Linkages with other plans

A council's corporate plan is an overarching strategic blueprint and should be linked to council's other plans, local laws and expenditure/budget programs. Other linkages include:

• community plan
• asset management
• financial forecasts
• operational plan
• planning schemes
• economic development plans
• budgets
• capital works program
• local plans
• administrative policies.

Legislation Extracts

• Local Government Act 2009 - s104 Financial management, planning and accountability documents

   

  104 Financial management, planning and accountability documents (1) The following documents of a local government must comply with the requirements prescribed under a regulation— (a) the financial management documents; (b) the planning and accountability documents. (2) The financial management documents include the following documents— (a) an annual budget; (b) a general purpose financial statement; (c) a long-term financial forecast; (d) an asset register that records— (i) capital expenditure; and (ii) depreciation charges; and (iii) revaluation increments and decrements; (e) a revenue statement. (3) The planning and accountability documents include the following documents— (a) an annual report; (b) a 5-year corporate plan; (c) an annual operational plan; (d) a long-term community plan; (e) a financial plan; (f) a long-term asset management plan; (g) a report on the results of an annual review of the implementation of the annual operational plan, 5-year corporate plan and long-term community plan. (4) A long-term community plan is a document that— (a) outlines the local government’s goals, strategies and policies for implementing the local government’s vision for the future of the local government area, during the period covered by the plan; and (b) covers a period of at least 10 years after the commencement of the plan. (5) A financial plan is a document that— (a) outlines the local government’s goals, strategies and policies for managing the local government’s finances, during the period covered by the plan, including the following policies— (i) an investment policy; (ii) a debt policy; (iii) a revenue policy; and (b) covers a period of at least 10 years after the commencement of the plan. (6) A long-term asset management plan is a document that— (a) outlines the local government’s policies and strategies for ensuring the sustainable management of the local government’s assets and infrastructure, during the period covered by the plan; and (b) covers a period of at least 10 years after the commencement of the plan. (7) A local government must annually conduct, and report on the results of, a review of the implementation of the local government’s annual operational plan, 5-year corporate plan and long-term community plan.

• Local Government Finance Plans and Reporting Regulation 2010 - s120 Preparation of 5-year corporate

  120 Preparation of 5-year corporate plan (1) A local government must prepare a 5-year corporate plan for each period of 5 financial years. (2) The local government must adopt the 5-year corporate plan in sufficient time before the start of the first financial year that is covered by the plan to allow a budget and annual operational plan that are consistent with the corporate plan to be adopted for the financial year. (3) The chief executive officer must present a written assessment of the local government’s progress towards implementing the 5-year corporate plan at meetings of the local government held at regular intervals of not more than 1 year. (4) The local government may, by resolution, amend its 5-year corporate plan at any time. (5) The local government must discharge its responsibilities in a way that is consistent with the 5-year corporate plan.

• Local Government Finance Plans and Reporting Regulation 2010 – s121 5-year corporate plan contents

   

  121 5-year corporate plan contents The 5-year corporate plan must— (a) outline the strategic direction of the local government; and (b) state— (i) the performance indicators for measuring the local government’s progress in achieving its vision for the future of the local government area as stated in its long-term community plan; and (ii) how the implementation of the long-term community plan will be progressed for the period of the 5-year corporate plan.