Local government agencies are being urged to consult thoroughly with staff and local communities before being rushed into a plan for reform, the union for local government workers says.

"Three months is an incredibly tight window for councils to turn around a comprehensive plan for large-scale reform," Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi national secretary, Duane Leo, says.

"We expect to see councils work closely with unions to make sure staff can be heard on their views and managed through the process. No-one knows a local community better than the people on the frontlines.

"We’re asking councils to prioritise their people in this moment precisely because local government is already under a lot of pressure to deliver on concurrent reforms with the Resource Management Act and rates capping.

"PSA members at councils are already worried about capacity and rushed timelines on their existing workload.

"It’s worth remembering that Auckland’s Super City reforms took three years of formal planning before its launch in 2010, and some of their systems are still being merged and worked through."

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