Western Bay of Plenty District Council is planning to partner with Tauranga City Council to deliver water, wastewater and stormwater services from 1 July 2027.
Councillors met on Friday 15 August in light of Tauranga City Council’s earlier decision to pursue an in-house delivery model, which had left Western Bay without a compliant water services plan. The meeting considered how to address this, including the potential need for a Crown Facilitator to step in. Tauranga’s subsequent reconsideration - confirming it would align with Western Bay in a joint CCO - meant this escalation was no longer required.
Western Bay councillors had already resolved on 5 August to pursue a multi-council Water Services Council-Controlled Organisation (WSCCO) with Tauranga City, ahead of the Government’s 3 September deadline to submit water services delivery plans. Tauranga’s earlier in-house decision had temporarily left Western Bay without a pathway forward, but its 15 August confirmation reinstated the joint model and aligned the start date for both councils.
Western Bay Mayor James Denyer says the timing has been critical.
“With the Government’s 3 September deadline for water delivery plans getting incredibly close, we’ve had to look at every practicable option, including the involvement of a Crown Facilitator. Tauranga’s confirmation gives us certainty, but there’s still more to work through before we can finalise a plan.
“We are all working toward the same goal: sustainable water services under the new framework.”
Thames-Coromandel District Council has also signalled its continued interest in being part of a multi-council CCO. However, feedback from Tauranga Moana and Te Arawa iwi and hapū has been clear that including Thames-Coromandel at this stage could add further complexity to unresolved Treaty settlement matters.
In response, Western Bay councillors have requested that the Office of Treaty Settlements work with tangata whenua to address these issues before any broader partnership discussions continue.
While Western Bay and Tauranga are prioritising a focused partnership between the two councils, Thames-Coromandel’s willingness to participate in future conversations has been acknowledged. This keeps the door open to potential collaboration once Treaty settlement matters are resolved, and the foundation partnership is in place.
Mayor James says Tauranga’s confirmation allows Western Bay to move forward with confidence.
“Working with Tauranga is the best step forward for both councils, but most importantly it ensures our community and staff can have confidence in the services we provide.
“We’ve worked hard to make sure we’re setting up a model that’s sustainable for Western Bay. Our staff need the certainty to plan and deliver, and our communities deserve the reassurance that their water services will remain safe and efficient and delivered in a cost effective way.”
Council’s decision aligns with the Government’s Local Water Done Well programme, which allows councils to determine which service delivery model is best suited to local needs. A multi-council Water Services Organisation is seen as the best option to ensure safe, efficient, and resilient water, wastewater, and stormwater services for the District.
Western Bay staff will now work on preparing a joint plan for submission to the Department of Internal Affairs by 3 September.
