Public Feedback Sought on Future of Bay of Plenty Councils

Eastern Bay residents are being asked to have their say on local government reform proposals as councils weigh options for future governance structures.

Ōpōtiki District Council is seeking public feedback on the local government reform ahead of an August deadline. 

The government announced last month councils have three months to propose simplified local governance structures or the government will provide a structure for change. 

Mayor David Moore said the reforms are one of the most significant changes to local government in decades and “we want to get information out to the community and bring them into the fold.”

Mayor David Moore said the reforms are among the most significant changes to local government in decades, and it is importnat communities are involved in the discussion. 

Several models could be implemented, including a Bay of Plenty-wide unitary authority, an Eastern Bay unitary authority, or a larger sub-regional arrangement involving the Eastern Bay and neighbouring districts such as Rotorua.

While no decision has been made, Moore said it was important to understand the implications of each option and hear directly from communities about what matters most to them.

One issue residents need to consider is the balance between achieving greater scale and maintaining strong local representation, he said. 

“There will be different views on these reforms, but people should not assume that structural change automatically delivers cheaper rates."

There was no clear evidence that larger councils have lower rates or that amalgamation alone would reduce costs for rate payers, Moore stated. 

"Equally important is ensuring smaller communities continue to have a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect them.”

With the August deadline approaching, Moore said it was important Ōpōtiki's interests were respresented in the decision-making process. 

"Reforms can proceed with or without us," he said, noting proposals could move forward if supported by a majority of councils in the area or a majority of the region's population.

“If we choose not to engage, there is a risk that the future shape of local government is decided for us rather than with us.

"Our responsibility is to ensure the needs, aspirations and identity of Ōpōtiki are clearly understood and considered as these discussions unfold.

“We want to understand what people value, what concerns they have, and what they believe the future of local government should look like in our district.”

Moore said public feedback would help council determine its preferred outcome for the community.

Discussions with iwi and hapū parteners alongside a dedicated engagement page on Ōpōtiki District Council's Hono Mai platform would play an important role in informing that position.

Whakatāne District Council has also launched a public feedback platform on its' Korero Mai page. 

Speaking to 1xx following the Government's initial announcement, Whakatāne Mayor Nándor Tánczos said councils had been told the status quo was not an option.

"We've been told in terms that the status quo is not an option, so what is best for our communities?

"And so we need to be really open-minded about how we explore what that means and what the best outcomes are."

While councillors remained closely connected to their communities, direct engagement was still important despite the short timeframe, he said.

"I'll be putting out as much information as I'm able to as mayor and seeking feedback and views on that."

Tánczos said he expected the preferred options would become clear through consultation.

Engagement with iwi and hapū would be a key part of the process, alongside consideration of existing council relationships and regional economic connections.

"We've got a number of mechanisms that we use now, like the iwi chairs forum, and we'll be having those discussions at those places."

"We need to go beyond that as well, as we always do."

The reforms could create opportunities to address rohe currently split across territorial authorities, and recognition of historic relationships between iwi, he said.

"So what are the different waka across the Bay of Plenty? How do they link together? What are the historical connections between different iwi?"

A Kawerau District Council spokesperson said public feedback would open today. 

The spokesperson said a pānui would be delivered to residents, including visual information outlining possible future council boundries and governance arrangements. 

Mayor Faylene Tunui has been approached for comment. 

Bay of Plenty Regional Council chair Matemoana McDonald told 1xx following the Government announcement that the regional council was focused on how services would continue under any new structure. 

"It's looking at working with our local TLAs and also working with our communities as well on the ground because this is a significant change and the whole spectrum of decision making will change."

Recent consultation through annual plan and long-term plan processes had provided insight into community views on governance changes, she said. 

"While some of the topics weren't specific to what we're talking about today, they were certainly raised in our discussions with the community, so we've had quite a good lead in to how our communities are currently feeling about the new construct that the government is wanting."

McDonald acknowledged consulting communities within the short timeframe while coordinating between six territorial authorities and the regional council would be challenging.

She said maintaining strong communication with iwi throughout the process would also be critical, with 36 iwi and more than 200 hapū across the region needing to remain informed during the transition period.