The process began under Labour, when it directed councils to combine their water businesses into several large entities. The National-led Government changed the model, but not the direction. In the Waikato drinking water and wastewater assets and services are being shifted from eight out of our 10 councils into two new water entities.
John Robertson
In November last year, another directive – that mayors replace regional councillors as governors of regional councils. Central government also wants to see local councils develop plans to work “more effectively and efficiently” together.
The writing is on the wall. Regional councils are on the way out and local councils will be reconfigured.
We can stand back and let this reconfiguration be done to us, or we can be proactive and try to shape our future.
The four councils in Northland are making their views known as they promote their vision of “By Northland, for Northland.” They may well end up with one combined governance structure, something considered in 2013.
Moving south, Auckland has already amalgamated.
If I were to make a prediction, I would bet on Taranaki councils being amalgamated into one unitary council. And Wellington councils the same.
Down the west coast between Auckland and Taranaki and heading east to Coromandel and Taupo lies the so called “Mighty Waikato”. We are an odd lot to group into one.
In the south the King Country would make sense as a stand-alone council. We have been a community of interest for well over a century, Te Rohe Potae. Dominated by one proud iwi, Maniapoto, our economy is driven by pastoral farming, forestry, mining and tourism.
We are a vast area stretching from Kāwhia to Mōkau inland to Taumarunui, and east towards Taupō. We are an area the size of Hamilton city, Waipā and Waikato districts combined.
Ōtorohanga and Waitomo districts represent most of this area. An amalgamation of the two councils would be easily achieved by legislation.
Interestingly, an amalgamation in Waitomo has been achieved before. It was initiated by two councils in in 1976 – Te Kūiti Borough with Waitomo County and executed by an Order in Council signed off by then Prime Minister Robert Muldoon.
Sir Robert Muldoon signature. Photo: Creative Commons
The Ōtorohanga and Waitomo administrations work well together now, sharing some services; but we would be that much more effective, efficient and lower cost if we were one organisation.
Operational costs would drop. One chief executive, one senior management team, one regulatory service, one Long Term Plan, one comms and Human Resources team. The list goes on. Savings would be significant.
The one councils would be: Northland, Auckland, King Country, Taranaki and Wellington.
Others are best to judge how the rest of the Waikato should be reconfigured. Criteria should include communities of interest as well as effectiveness and efficiency.
King Country. Photo: Robert Thomson, Creative Commons
