Local government reform: Tauranga, Western Bay mayors on Government decision delay
Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale says it is disappointing the Government has delayed decisions on local government reform proposals after the city spent more than $50,000 developing its bid.
In a letter to mayors and chief executives yesterday morning, Local Government Minister Simon Watts said that “after careful consideration”, ministers would not yet decide which Head Start proposals should progress to detailed design.
This was because none “came with the unanimous view of the region” and they “needed further analysis” before progressing.
Drysdale said it was disappointing the Government hadn’t decided to progress any proposals after councils had done significant work to meet the three-month timeframe councils were given.
“We worked at pace and had to compromise on our proposal to meet the Government-imposed timeframe, so for them to turn around and not deliver of their part is disappointing as it ultimately could delay getting better outcomes for our communities.”
He said if councils had been given a more realistic six to 12 months, the proposals could have answered some issues identified through the analysis.
Tauranga City Council spent more than $4600 on workshops and $48,000 on its community survey – $52,600, excluding GST.
Drysdale said the community feedback showed there was an “appetite for change” and the council was committed to “acting on that”.
He said the work to date would continue to inform discussions about local government reform.
The council looked forward to working with the next elected Government on how change could be implemented from 2028, including integrating regional council functions.
Tauranga City Council had proposed to merge with the Western Bay of Plenty District, against the latter’s will.
Western Bay of Plenty Mayor James Denyer said the council had hoped for clarity from Cabinet but instead faced an extended period of uncertainty.
He said the issues the Government had identified were largely the ones councils had been working on throughout the Head Start process.
The council wanted clarity on how issues would be worked through, possible solutions and who would make the decisions.
He said the Head Start process had reinforced community priorities including strong local representation, protecting community identity and delivering value for ratepayers.
The council’s direct costs for the process totalled $16,118, but the “real cost” was staff and elected members’ time being diverted from other work.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council chairwoman Matemoana McDonald said the council welcomed the Government’s decision to work through several important issues, “particularly how environmental functions are managed and effective local representation”.
“There is too much at stake not to get this right.
“Our communities deserve a model that is both affordable and effective.”
Tauranga City Council voted to put forward a Head Start proposal to create a new unitary authority with the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, which would include Bay of Plenty Regional Council functions.
Western Bay councillors voted 6-4 not to participate in the proposal.
Tauranga submitted it anyway.
What happens next
Watts said 18 Head Start proposals were submitted in August.
He said the Government would continue working on these with a view to taking the next steps in the reform programme after November’s general election.
The Government was still committed to simplifying local government, and regional councillors would not be elected in the 2028 local elections.
Local Government New Zealand said councils needed greater certainty about next steps, having “moved heaven and earth to meet an unrealistic deadline” for proposals.
President Rehette Stoltz said councils had invested significant effort in developing proposals and consulting their communities in an unrealistically tight timeframe.
“Councils were put through a rushed process, only for the Government to now acknowledge that the work could not be completed properly in the time available.”
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Ayla Yeoman is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based in Tauranga. She holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in communications, politics and international relations from the University of Auckland, and has been a journalist since 2023.