The responsibility for preparing iwi management plans (IMPs) rests with iwi/hapū, not local authorities.
The IMP should identify the area affected by the plan and state which iwi authority has recognised the plan as a 'relevant planning document' for the purposes of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). If these matters are unclear, or if the IMP has not been recognised by the iwi authority, the council should follow up with iwi/hapū to confirm the status. This ensures accurate records are kept and enables appropriate consideration of the IMP in RMA plan development.
Section 35A records should only contain IMPs that have been recognised by the iwi authority. With any new IMP lodged, council should confirm that it has been recognised by the appropriate iwi authority before recording it under section 35A.
Some iwi authorities have developed criteria to recognise iwi/hapū planning documents (see Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu example).
