Simplifying Local Government

The Government is looking at changing how local government is structured. The aim is to make the system simpler, remove regional councils and reduce the number of councils in Aotearoa New Zealand overall, with a focus on creating unitary authorities.

The Head Start pathway is a voluntary process set up by central government that allows councils to explore potential changes to how local government is structured in their area, ahead of wider reform. It allows Councils to develop early proposals for new unitary authorities.

A unitary authority combines the roles of both a regional council and a district or city council into one organisation. At this stage, no decisions have been made about whether this type of structure would be considered for Rotorua. This is one of the types of options that may be explored as part of wider local government reform.

If councils submit a proposal through the Head Start pathway, the Government will assess it against five key criteria:

Deliverability: Proposals are realistic and demonstrate how new arrangements can be implemented in a timely manner.

Supports the new planning system: Shows clear support for implementing the new planning system (the RMA replacement) – including progress on spatial and natural environment plan development – and avoids or minimises disruption to that work.

Simplifies local governance: Proposes more efficient regional governance arrangements, consolidating decision-making and improving alignment between a region’s councils.

Economies of scale: Supports regional strategic planning and effective delivery of key regional functions (such as transport and catchment management), and demonstrates responsible and affordable asset management, infrastructure investment, and service delivery.

Maintains local voice: Demonstrates fair and effective representation for communities of interest and how decisions will be made at the local level, balancing urban and rural interests.

Councils can submit an outline proposal through the Head Start pathway by 9 August.

Any two or more territorial and/or unitary authorities, including cross-boundary groupings, may submit if they represent a majority of either the:

• directly affected territorial authorities, or
• population across directly affected areas.

Proposals cannot be submitted by minority groupings, individual territorial authorities or unitary authorities, regional councils, individuals or other organisations.

If a proposal is accepted, any changes would take effect from the 2028 local elections. At that election, you would vote for representatives who would then manage the transition to the new council.

If Council doesn’t take part in the Head Start pathway, central government has said it will step in after the 2028 local elections through a “backstop” process. That means the Government would decide what changes are made. This would be informed by other council’s Head Start proposals.

No. Council has not made any decisions about local government reform or whether to participate in the Head Start process but this will be considered at a Council meeting scheduled for 8 June 2026.

We are engaging with iwi and hapū early, using established relationships and appropriate channels such as the Iwi Chairs Forum. We are also committed to ongoing engagement with iwi as thinking develops and as any future proposals are considered.

Community engagement is dependent on Council's decision about whether to submit a Head Start proposal or not. If it does decide to submit a proposal we'll provide details about how you can share your views for elected members to consider.

There would be further opportunities for public consultation if outline proposals are submitted and later accepted by Cabinet.

No. If a proposal is developed, it would be early and high-level, with further consultation before any decisions are made.

We don't know what reform could look like for Rotorua yet. Council is now considering that and if it decides to submit a Head Start proposal it will seek community views to help inform decision-making.

No decisions have been made but the direction from Government is that it wants fewer councils and no regional councils. If any changes were proposed, the community would have further opportunities to provide feedback before any decisions are made.

It’s too early to know what the financial impacts could be. Understanding costs and benefits would be a key part of any future detailed proposal, and this information would be shared with the community before any decisions are made.

Central government will ultimately decide on the future shape of local government. Our role is to make sure the views of Rotorua communities are heard and considered.