A visible delivery picture
- ICT needed to know when projects were in trouble, so it could bring them back on track.
- The Executive Management Team needed a clear picture of every project and its stage.
Customers › Auckland Council
Chosen by Auckland Regional Council.
Chosen again for the Super City transition.
Still chosen today.
Australasia’s largest council uses Sentient PPM enterprise-wide to prioritise investment and govern delivery as it continues to change.
17+ year partnershipFrom Auckland Regional Council, through the creation of the Super City, to Australasia’s largest council today.
Eight councils into oneChosen by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) for Australasia’s biggest council merger.
Enterprise-wide todaySupporting delivery and governance across the council’s project investments.
Built around the councilConfigured to the council’s own delivery framework, and flexible enough to change with it.
Today
How does Sentient support Auckland Council today?
Auckland Council is a much bigger organisation than the one formed in 2010, and Sentient PPM has grown with it, bringing more of the council group into one view.
Auckland Council reports that in its first 15 years it trebled infrastructure spending and grew its asset base by $40 billion to $79.7 billion. It has kept reshaping itself along the way. In July 2025, property, urban development and economic development moved into the council from council-controlled organisations.
Every change like this tests how the council plans, aligns to strategy and holds delivery to account. Sentient PPM has been there through each one. New teams and portfolios join the same structure as the rest of the council, so governance stays consistent as it changes.
Our partnership started with Auckland Regional Council’s ICT team.
- 2009Auckland
Regional Council - 2010The Super City
- TodayAuckland Council
The challenge
What was Auckland Regional Council (ARC) trying to solve?
With a merger less than a year away, ARC’s ICT team had to do more with less. It supported everything from transport and regulatory services to 26 regional parks. Demand for projects was considerable, dedicated project resource was limited, and the PMO’s delivery framework was held in playbooks, documents and fragmented systems rather than embedded in daily work.
The team set three goals.
Balanced resourcing
- Project work had to share people with business-as-usual work across teams.
- ICT needed a forward view of what people were working on, and the capacity left for projects.
Objective prioritisation
- Resources were limited.
- The council had to be sure it was investing in the projects that best delivered on its strategic objectives.
Why Sentient
Why did they choose Sentient PPM?
After a market consultation, the council set five criteria.
Project Manager, Corporate ServicesSentient PPM was configured specifically to meet our organisation.
We did not need to impact the entire organisation by changing GL codes and the like. Sentient was quick and flexible while the other systems and offerings were just too hard.”
What the council asked forWhat Sentient delivered
Asked forA system that would embed its delivery framework across ICT.
DeliveredBuilt around the PMO’s own framework and rolled out across ICT.
Asked forEasy to use and tailored to the organisation, to minimise change management.
DeliveredConfigured specifically for the council, with no change to general ledger codes or organisation-wide structures.
Asked forQuick and relatively straightforward to implement.
DeliveredFlexible configuration with proven implementation methodology resulted in quicker implementation compared to other options.
Asked forComprehensive enough to address the key challenges.
DeliveredStatus reporting, pipeline management, prioritisation and resourcing in one platform.
Asked forA supplier with a strong track record across Australasia.
DeliveredA proven track record across Australasia, then results that won the Super City work.
The results
What changed for the council?
Four shifts in how the council saw, chose, resourced and delivered its projects.
Exceptions managed quickly.
- Status reporting and pipeline management gave ICT immediate visibility of every project and programme.
- Dashboard summaries meant more projects were delivered on time and on budget.
A consistent, strategy-led way to choose.
- Initiative assessment and prioritisation gave the Executive Management Team and ICT a consistent way to assess and select initiatives.
- Early wins also helped colleagues understand the choices ICT was making with limited resources.
A forward view of capacity.
- ICT team leaders and managers gained a clear, forward-looking picture across ICT resource pools.
- Delivery could be planned against real capacity.
More time delivering.
- Streamlined workflow, better collaboration and automation reduced administration and reporting.
- The PMO and project teams spent more time delivering projects.
Group Manager ICT, Corporate ServicesSentient delivered for the ARC.
The results speak for themselves and results are how Sentient do business. They have now been selected for one of the most significant local government projects in Australasia…”
Questions
Auckland Council and Sentient PPM: frequently asked questions
Is Auckland Council a Sentient PPM customer?
Yes. Sentient has worked with Auckland Council since it was formed in 2010, and with Auckland Regional Council from 2009. Today Sentient PPM is used enterprise-wide across the Auckland Council organisation.
Does Sentient work with organisations in Australia?
Yes. Sentient has worked with Australian organisations for nearly 20 years. Customers include Woolworths Group, Telstra, Perpetual and Wesfarmers Health.
What does Auckland Council use Sentient PPM for today?
To prioritise investment, plan resources and govern delivery across the council organisation. As functions move into the council, their teams and portfolios join the same structure, so planning, reporting and governance stay consistent.
How has Auckland Council changed since 2010?
It has kept reshaping itself. In July 2025, Eke Panuku Development Auckland and the economic development arm of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited moved into the council.
How big was the Auckland Super City merger?
Bringing eight councils into one was described by Rodney Hide, then Minister of Local Government, as “the biggest re-organisation, public or private, ever attempted in Australasia. It is certainly the most complex.” The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) chose Sentient PPM to help deliver a large number of critical projects in a short time.
What has the Auckland Super City achieved?
According to Auckland Council, amalgamation gave the region one set of planning rules through the Auckland Unitary Plan, trebled infrastructure spending and grew the council’s asset base to $79.7 billion. It also allowed a region-wide response to the 2023 severe weather, with more than $2 billion directed to property buyouts and resilience projects.
What did Auckland Regional Council use Sentient PPM for?
Status reporting, pipeline management, initiative assessment and prioritisation, and resource planning across its ICT department. The goals were a visible delivery picture, balanced resourcing and objective prioritisation.
Can Sentient PPM support a council amalgamation or restructure?
Yes. Sentient PPM was chosen to help deliver the projects behind Australasia’s biggest council amalgamation, when eight councils became Auckland Council in 2010. The council has used it through every change since. It gives merging or restructuring organisations one portfolio structure from the start.
Does Sentient work with other councils?
Yes. Sentient’s local government customers include Auckland Council, Christchurch City Council, Central Otago District Council and Queenstown Lakes District Council. See how Sentient supports government.
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