Letter to schools
NZSPA Board Chair Murray McCully has sent a letter to schools across New Zealand, on behalf of the NZSPA Board.
The letter notes the origins of NZSPA, outlines the Board’s priorities for transforming the way school property is managed, and expresses a commitment to engaging directly with school boards and principals.
Dear Principal and Board Presiding Member,
Introducing the New Zealand School Property Agency Board
I am writing to inform you that, as of 1 October 2026, the New Zealand School Property Agency (NZSPA) has assumed responsibility for school property services and functions previously delivered by the Ministry of Education.
The 2024 Ministerial Inquiry into School Property identified significant shortcomings in the delivery of school property services, including poor value-for-money and limited transparency. The strongest criticism, echoed in submissions from many school boards and principals, concerned the quality of service provided to schools.
The Inquiry found that many capable staff were constrained by an operating model that limited their ability to deliver for schools. In response, the Government has established NZSPA as a dedicated agency, governed by an independent Board, to create a stronger foundation for school property services.
While our immediate focus is ensuring a smooth transition to the new agency, we are also committed to making early progress in 3 key areas.
- Building on recent gains in value-for-money across the portfolio.
- Providing greater transparency about property funding and school entitlements.
- Improving service delivery and the experience of schools as our customers.
To support this, we have directed NZSPA management to work towards establishing a network of relationship managers to provide schools with a clear and coordinated point of contact for property matters. While it will take time to achieve the level of service we aspire to, we expect an improved service framework to be in place for the start of the 2027 school year. We appreciate your patience as these improvements are implemented.
Although the Board’s role is governance rather than day-to-day management, we are committed to understanding the challenges schools face.
As part of this commitment, directors will visit schools and engage directly with boards and principals to hear first-hand about their experiences, helping to inform the ongoing improvement of NZSPA.
On behalf of the Board, we look forward to meeting and working with you.
Yours sincerely
Murray McCully
Board Chair, New Zealand School Property Agency