Commission changes proposal on Bay amalgamation

Basil Morrison, chair of the Local Government Commission.

The Local Government Commission has "revised its position" on amalgamation in Hawke's Bay, and is now proposing the region be governed by a single council with twice as many elected members as it suggested a year ago.
In a 30-page "position paper" released today, the commission has set out a number of changes to the draft amalgamation proposal it put out last November.
The commission also announced today it will engage an independent research company during the first quarter of next year to test public support for the revised position through a survey across the region.
The changes suggested in its position paper include doubling the number of councillors elected to the proposed region-wide unitary local authority from nine to 18 and establishing five local boards, rather than the less-autonomous community boards previously proposed.
Two councillors from each ward would be appointed to their relevant local board to ensure good coordination and communication across the wider council, the commission said.
Area offices would be established in Wairoa, Napier, Hastings, Waipawa, and a service centre in Waipukurau. Council services to the public would be "decentralised to these locations as far as possible".
The Commission held public hearings into its draft proposal earlier this year and said today it was not calling for further submissions or embarking on a new round of hearings as a result of the position paper.
"The earlier round of public submissions and hearings were valuable and helped the Commission to fine-tune its position", commission chairman Basil Morrison said.
The commission said it had "reserved its position" on the ring-fencing of existing council debt pending further information and analysis. It recently asked councils to provide an update of both existing financial arrangements and future infrastructure and asset investment requirements.
The Commission anticipates providing its assessment of this information in February next year.
After that, and the completion of other steps including the planned region-wide survey, the commission will decide whether to issue a "final proposal" of some sort or to leave the status quo local authority arrangements in place.
Hawke's Bay residents and ratepayers still retain the ability to trigger a referendum on any final proposal the commission issues.
"The Commission appreciates the ongoing co-operation and assistance provided by councils and other affected parties in Hawke's Bay as it works towards identifying the structure that best promotes good local government in the region," Mr Morrison said.