Te Korowai Continuous Improvement Programme
Marlborough District Council has received a positive Mauri Tū or 'Active' development benchmark in its first Te Korowai evaluation report.
The Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) Continuous Improvement Programme is conducted by an Independent Evaluation Panel. The assessment took place in July 2025.
It highlights strong performance in financial health, integrated planning and emergency planning capability with opportunities to expand work in strategy, iwi partnership and organisational capability.
The report recognises the council as covering a large provincial area with a wide range of environmental and economic challenges, driven by a successful economy largely based around use of natural resources.
It also notes that Marlborough has been increasingly impacted by frequent and intense storms that have affected transport networks, flood protection schemes and communities, with the council highly regarded by the public for their response to the recent emergencies.
Input for the independent evaluation was received from 41 staff, 13 councillors including the mayor, 13 members of the Executive Management Team, six iwi representatives and 17 stakeholders, all representing diverse interests and perspectives. All participants were encouraged to share their views openly and constructively.
LGNZ’s Te Korowai supports councils through independent performance evaluation, prioritising, decision making and action planning every three years. The programme provides councils with insights and tools to strengthen governance, leadership, decision-making, transparency, and engagement with community.
Council will review all the recommendations contained in the Te Korowai evaluation and a report, including an action plan, will be presented to councillors in 2026.
