Local Government Reforms update
Rotorua Lakes Council will submit a proposal under the local government reforms programme based on a Bay of Plenty-wide proposal with three unitary authorities.
The proposal, which has the support of Te Arawa leaders, is for three unitaries across the region – Western (Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty), Eastern (Kawerau, Whakatane and Opotiki) and Central (Rotorua).
Other councils are to make decisions next week and if all agree, it is proposed that it would be supported by an over-arching letter signed by all mayors across the region.
Options to go with South Waikato and/or Taupo districts, which were investigated and put forward for community feedback, were subsequently removed as options after those councils decided on different pathways.
Elected members were told the recommended option was therefore a Bay of Plenty-wide proposal with three distinct unitaries.
It was noted that the other two remaining options – to not participate in the Head Start process or to continue pursing re-organisation under existing Local Government Act legislation – posed greater risks.
Part of the Simplifying Local Government reforms programme, Head Start enables councils to submit their own proposals for mergers for Government to consider. Decisions will be made by the government for those councils that do not submit proposals.
The Simplifying Local Government programme is aimed at reducing the number of councils across New Zealand, removing regional councils and moving to unitary authorities.
Elected members heard today that there would be potential, under what was being proposed, for some services that transition from the current regional council to be delivered a regional entity with others moving to the new unitary authorities.
Representatives from Te Arawa Iwi Chairs presented the findings of work and discussions undertaken by iwi to consider options, noting that they supported the option recommended today.
To help with decision-making, Council held two rounds of community engagement to seek feedback about merger preferences and criteria being used to assess the options being considered.
In June following early community engagement, Council agreed to continue assessing six merger options and held a second round of feedback asking the community for their views on specific options and the criteria used to assess them.
More than 300 people completed a survey in the first engagement round and over 700 completed a new survey in the second round.
Head Start proposals are high level and strategic only. Further detailed design, engagement, financial analysis, legislative development and formal consultation would be required if a proposal is submitted and is accepted in principle by Cabinet.
Following today’s decision council staff will develop a draft proposal which will be presented to elected members for final sign-off at an extraordinary Council meeting on 7 August.
Proposals must be submitted for Government to consider by 9 August.
Council made the following resolutions:
- To submit a Head Start outline proposal to the Government by 9th August 2026, based on a Bay of Plenty wide Head Start Proposal with three distinct Unitary Authorities across the Bay of Plenty Region consisting of: Western (Tauranga & Western BOP), Eastern (Kawerau, Whakatane and Opotiki), and Central (Rotorua).
- Confirmed Council does not support any other Head Start Pathway configuration that includes Rotorua without our approval.
- Agreed that if required to amalgamate with other councils in the future, the preferred approach is a unitary with Rotorua and / or Taupo, and / or boundary adjustments to include the Kaituna Catchment – Mai I Maketu ki Tongariro.
- Noted the risks outlined, that proposals can only be finalised with approval of other named councils and the short timeframes provided did not allow for more in depth community consultation and due diligence.
- Staff to draft the Head Start outline proposal, report back in a workshop on 5 August 2026 and Council to give final approval for a final version of the proposal at an extraordinary meeting of Council on 7 August.
Head Start staff report (PLEASE NOTE – options changed between when this paper was prepared and this week’s meeting)
Summary of community engagement
Yesterday’s meeting was livestreamed and the full recording is available for viewing on Rotorua Lakes Council’s YouTube channel at THIS LINK. The Head Start discussion and decision was the first item on the agenda.
For more information about the Simplifying Local Government see the following link on Council’s website: Simplifying Local Government - Rotorua Lakes Council
