Waikato Regional Council has signalled it favours a single unitary authority and wants to work with the Waikato Mayoral Forum to develop the option.

When regional councillors met informally yesterday (6 May) to discuss the Government's Head Start pathway, they emphasised the need for regional functions to be well considered in any proposals being developed across the region. To achieve this, they said they would assist local councils to meet the criteria of regional functions, in particular catchment management and transport.

Under the Government’s Head Start pathway, regional councils cannot submit a proposal as part of a grouping, but may contribute to the development of outline proposals.

Waikato Regional Council Chair Warren Maher described the Government’s announcement of the Head Start pathway as “a constructive step forward” in the wider local government reform programme.

“Our council has always said change is needed in local government and now there’s a pathway to join forces to do so,” Maher said.

He said the Waikato Mayoral Forum had already been proactively working together to explore what a future model could look like, taking into account the characteristics and complexities of the Waikato region, and the wide range of regional council functions and activities.

“We’re focused on how we can operate at the right scale while improving efficiency and strengthening service delivery. There are naturally a range of views around the table on how best to achieve this, and we respect the different perspectives.”

He said the council recognised the importance of its relationships with iwi in the rohe and options would be discussed with them.

It was also important that local voice helps to shape reform in the Waikato region, he said. “If you have ideas on what the future of local government in the Waikato could look like, please reach out to your constituent councillors. Our phone numbers are available on the regional council website.”

Maher said confirmation that existing regional governance arrangements will remain in place in the near term will help maintain stability and continuity.

“Keeping current governance in place for the duration of the triennium supports the delivery of the work our communities rely on every day, from flood protection and environmental management to transport planning and emergency response.

“Continuity matters while the bigger reform picture is worked through, and it’s reflected strongly in our new strategic direction.”

However, Maher said significant challenges remain, particularly the lack of central government funding to support councils undertaking this work within tight timeframes.

“This is complex, resource-intensive work, and at present there is no dedicated funding to support councils through this process,” he said.

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