Amalgamation poll welcomed

Central Hawke's Bay Mayor Peter Butler

Politicians on both sides of the amalgamation debate have welcomed news that Hawke's Bay will have a binding region-wide poll on the issue before the end of the year.

The Local Government Commission released a "final proposal" in favour of establishing a single Hawke's Bay super council yesterday, effectively opening the way for an amalgamation referendum sometime between September-December.

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule, the only one of the region's four mayors to support the commission's proposal, said he was happy a "significant hurdle" had been reached in the process.

"The people of the region simply want to get on and make a decision about this. The fact that the Local Government Commission has released a final proposal, including some changes to the local board composition, is their way of saying: 'we've listened to everything, we think this is the best way forward'. I support that."

He said the proposed governance structure, under which councillors and local board members would elect a board chair, allowed for a greater degree of local leadership which addressed issues of particular concern to residents in Wairoa and Central Hawke's Bay.

But Central Hawke's Bay Mayor Peter Butler said the tweak to the proposal did not alleviate his concerns about amalgamation.

"Local boards are pretty toothless," he said.

Mr Butler said the commission's decision to issue a final proposal in line with the plan it had earlier outlined was not a surprise and he expected it would not take long before a petition demanding a poll was presented.

Napier Mayor Bill Dalton said the decision was "disappointing but not surprising" because the commission had been on a "pre-determined path".

"The majority of the people in the Hawke's Bay region do not support this amalgamation proposal.

"All [the] announcement does is create further division," Mr Dalton said.

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little also said the commission's decision came as no surprise.

He expected Wairoa would be among the communities to muster enough opposition to the proposal to trigger a poll on the issue.

Tukituki National MP and amalgamation supporter Craig Foss welcomed the commission's move, while Napier Labour MP Stuart Nash, who campaigned strongly against amalgamation in the lead-up to last year's general election, said he would re-erect his anti-amalgamation billboards as soon as possible.

Anti-amalgamation groups now have 60 working days to rally opposition to the proposal. They need to get 10 per cent of registered voters in one of the region's existing territorial local authority areas to sign a petition demanding a poll in order for the referendum to take place.

Amalgamation opponents have raised the possibility of a judicial review challenging the final proposal and commission chairman Basil Morrison said that was a scenario that had been put to the commission.

The commission had followed its legal requirements "to the letter of the law" and had been through a "very careful process" which had included having its legal advice peer reviewed.

Mr Dalton said a judicial review was "always under consideration".

Mr Yule said he would be disappointed if the commission's decision was challenged in court.

"I think what the people want is for all the information to be put before them - which is what this final proposal does - and then to have a vote across the region. People are over this, they want it decided one way or the other, and they want to have their say."

Petition needed to force poll

Under the Local Government Commission's final proposal, a single "Hawke's Bay Council" would be created late next year to replace Napier City, Wairoa District, Hastings District, Central Hawke's Bay District, and Hawke's Bay Regional councils.

The new council would be a unitary authority, responsible for both regional council and territorial authority functions. Its decision-making responsibilities would be shared between a governing body and five local boards.

The council's governing body would consist of a mayor, elected across the region, and 18 councillors elected in five wards, with the same boundaries as the local board areas: Wairoa, Ngaruroro, Napier, Hastings and Central Hawke's Bay.

In its 52-page final proposal document, released yesterday, the commission said the local boards, comprising a mix of councillors and elected local board members, would "provide a strong community voice in local affairs".

"Broadly, the local boards will be responsible and democratically accountable for identifying and responding to local interests and preferences in agreement with the governing body," the commission said.

"In practice, local boards will be responsible for governing local amenities such as parks, libraries, swimming pools and town centres."

Amalgamation will not be implemented if enough people vote in opposition to the change. Electors have 60 working days to sign a petition seeking a poll on the issue. A poll would take place about three months after the commission received and verified a petition signed by at least 10 per cent of registered electors in any affected current council area.

Results of a poll are binding and require a simple majority across the region.

If no poll is requested or the poll shows support for the proposal the amalgamation scheme, as outlined in the commission's final proposal, will be implemented.

A Transition Board with two elected representatives from each of the current councils and an independent chair would be appointed to work through detailed arrangements for the new council - which would be elected in October next year.