Community open to exploring change as part of local government reform

Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s community conversation on the future of local government has now closed, in what many described as a complex and important discussion about what change could mean for their communities.

The three-week period of engagement saw people from right across the District take part, including 193 people attending six in-person sessions, 262 submissions (online or print), and broader comments across social media.

Western Bay Mayor James Denyer says the level of participation reflects both the interest in the topic and the willingness of people to engage, even though the issues are complex and involve competing priorities.

“People understand this is complex, but they’ve still shown up, asked thoughtful questions, and been willing to work through what this could mean in practice.”

The community conversation followed the Government’s announcement of a new pathway for local government reform, which signals a move towards fewer, larger councils and changes to how regional and local council functions are delivered in the future.

Council sought feedback on a range of possible scenarios — from seeking to stay as a Western Bay authority (with regional council functions), through to merging with varying combinations of neighbouring councils at a larger scale.

While the detailed feedback is still being analysed, what has come through is an openness to exploring change, alongside support for further analysis and investigation to help inform decisions ahead of the 9 August deadline, says Mayor James.

“However, we heard consistent concerns around maintaining local voice and representation, along with a clear desire not to take on existing debt from other councils.

“Other themes identified include the need for cost effective provision of services and ensuring both rural and urban voices are adequately represented.”

Alongside analysing community feedback, Council will continue discussions with neighbouring councils over the coming weeks to better understand what options may be practicable against the Government’s criteria.

Mayor James thanked the community for their input, adding “it’s important people understand how useful their feedback has been and I thank everyone who took the time to share their views. It will help guide our thinking and shape the design of any potential Head Start proposal.

“The final decisions will sit with central government - but our responsibility is to make sure our communities’ views are part of that process.”

Council is scheduled to hold a meeting on Tuesday 30 June to formally receive the community’s feedback and consider next steps in respect to government's Head Start pathway. Any Head Start proposal must be submitted before the 9 August deadline.

For more information visit: Simplifying Local Government - Western Bay of Plenty District Council