Eastern Bay Councils Unite Behind Unitary Authority Proposal

The three Eastern Bay of Plenty district councils have unanimously agreed to submit a joint proposal to establish an Eastern Bay of Plenty Unitary Council, marking a significant step in the region's response to the Government's local government reform programme.

Kawerau District Council endorsed the proposal on Wednesday, joining Whakatāne District Council and Ōpōtiki District Council ahead of the Government’s 9 August deadline for outline submissions under the Head Start pathway.

If approved by the Government, the proposal would create a single unitary authority combining the responsibilities of the three district councils with relevant regional council functions, replacing the current two-tier governance model in the Eastern Bay.

Kawerau District Mayor Faylene Tunui said community engagement had shown support for an Eastern Bay Council after the Government ruled out retaining the status quo.

She said the preferred model would help protect Kawerau’s local voice, maintain strong relationships with iwi and tangata whenua, and support sustainable jobs and industries while allowing the district to shape its own future.

Ōpōtiki District Mayor David Moore described the decision as difficult but necessary, saying the Government had made it clear that local government reform was moving ahead.

“Our responsibility is to ensure the people of Ōpōtiki have the strongest possible voice in shaping what comes next,” he said.

Moore said an Eastern Bay model offered the best opportunity to preserve local representation for the district's rural, coastal and urban communities, rather than having change imposed from outside the region.

Whakatāne District Mayor Nándor Tánczos said collaboration between the three councils had been crucial in reaching agreement.

“We have been given an opportunity to shape our own future rather than just get done to by Wellington, and we are seizing it,” he said.

The proposal follows several weeks of technical analysis, community consultation and discussions with iwi, businesses, industry groups and other stakeholders.

According to the councils, an Eastern Bay-focused unitary authority emerged as the preferred option across the communities of Ōpōtiki, Whakatāne and Kawerau.

The submission forms part of the Government's Head Start pathway, which allows councils to develop and submit locally led reform proposals rather than having options considered through the Government's Back Stop process.

However, the submission does not determine the ultimate future of local government in the Eastern Bay.

Cabinet is expected to consider outline proposals in September.

If the proposal receives in-principle approval, it will move to a more detailed design phase that will examine governance arrangements, representation, service delivery, financial impacts, iwi partnerships and further community consultation before any final decisions are made.

The three councils said the proposal reflects a shared belief that an Eastern Bay-based unitary authority deserves consideration as local government reform continues across the Bay of Plenty and the rest of New Zealand.