The process that had led to the proposal was "inappropriate," Mr Dalton said, because the process was "intimidating, formal and semi-judicial" when it should be informal and relaxed. "Hawke's Bay has never been encouraged or given the opportunity to develop a shared vision for our future. If we were given that opportunity, and in time developed that shared vision, then the appropriate governance structure to support that vision would present itself."
He said the amalgamation debate had been "absolutely disruptive for Hawke's Bay. I have never known in my lifetime a time when there has been a greater divide between Napier and Hastings - and I hate it."
Mr Dalton came under attack from one of the speakers representing pro-amalgamation group A Better Hawke's Bay.
John Harrison accused Mr Dalton of running "a highly personal and rate-funded campaign to deliberately mislead his constituents". Mr Dalton had stated "ad nauseam" that previous amalgamations had failed, but had not produced any evidence of that, Mr Harrison said.
Hawke's Bay Regional Council chairman Fenton Wilson told the commissioners his council was concerned important issues such as water quality would struggle to compete with services such as libraries under a single council structure. The draft proposal did not provide sufficient certainty for the ongoing resourcing and prioritisation of natural resource management functions in Hawke's Bay, he said. "This is critical for the ongoing economic development prospects for the region."
Two of Mr Wilson's fellow regional councillors, Rex Graham and Tom Belford, spoke in favour of amalgamation.
"The environment won't die in Hawke's Bay if we change our structure," Mr Belford said.
"If your view of government is the best government is the one that does the least, we have the perfect structure right now. "
Mr Graham said the region faced major challenges from issues including climate change and coastal erosion.
"There are only 150,000 of us - the number of an Auckland suburb - and it's quite ridiculous for us to continue this bickering that has torn us apart for years."
Responding to Mr Wilson's comment that the regional council could not support the amalgamation proposal in its present form, commissioner Grant Kirby said he agreed that if the commission was to take the proposal further "it does need to do a lot more work".
"In the earlier informal hearings we had a lot of these things brought to our attention and we have taken notice of them, I assure you," he said.
Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated chair Ngahiwi Tomoana said his organisation believed amalgamation offered Hawke's Bay "a great opportunity for economic development as a region".
But Mike Mohi, chair of the regional council's Maori Committee, said the committee was concerned amalgamation was not in the best interest of Maori.
The hearings resume tomorrow in Hastings.
