Delegations Register Requirements for NZ Councils and Government Agencies

A delegations register documents who has authority to make decisions and spend money on behalf of a council or government agency. For staff, it's not just a governance document — it defines what you're authorised to do and what requires sign-off from someone above you. Getting this wrong creates real risk.

'What's my delegation limit for this contract?' — a question staff ask daily.

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What a delegations register must cover

Under the Local Government Act 2002, councils must maintain a public register of delegations made by the governing body. For staff, the relevant delegations typically cover:

Financial delegations — who can approve expenditure at what levels (e.g., team leader up to $5,000, manager up to $50,000)
Contractual authority — who can sign contracts, and at what value
Operational decisions — who can approve leave, hire temporary staff, or commit resources
Regulatory decisions — who can issue consents, licences, or enforcement notices
Correspondence authority — who can respond to official information requests

Who can delegate

Delegations flow from the governing body (elected council) down through the organisation. The key rule: you can only delegate authority you actually hold — and you cannot delegate a function that legislation requires you personally to perform.

Under section 5 of the Local Government Act, the Chief Executive can sub-delegate powers given to them by the governing body, unless the delegation specifically prevents this.

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Acting roles require explicit delegation

When a manager is on leave, their authority does not automatically transfer to whoever is covering. The acting person must have an explicit delegation in the register — or the authority must be exercised by someone who already holds it. Check before approving anything significant while acting.

How staff should use the delegations register

The practical test for any decision is: "Do I have the authority to do this?"

Identify the decision type (financial, contractual, regulatory)
Check the delegations register for your role
If within your delegation: proceed and document your decision
If above your delegation: escalate to the person who holds that authority
If unclear: check with your manager or the governance team before acting

The audit question isn't just "was this a good decision?" — it's "was it made by someone authorised to make it?"

Delegation queries come up in every OIA response, every procurement decision, every contract sign-off.

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What auditors check

Office of the Auditor-General reviews and internal audits examine delegations registers for:

Whether the register is current and reflects actual decision-making practice
Whether significant decisions were made within appropriate delegations
Whether sub-delegations are permitted and documented
Whether the register is publicly accessible as required

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The most common finding

The delegations register hasn't been updated after restructures. Roles that no longer exist still appear. New roles created during restructuring have no delegation. This creates a compliance gap every time someone in those roles makes a decision.

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This article provides general information about delegations in the NZ public sector context. Specific requirements vary by organisation. Always refer to your organisation's delegations register and governance framework.