Editorial: New chance to shape Bay's future

Mayor Bill Dalton, who was a strong opponent of amalgamation, has stated that he believes change is needed. Photo / Paul Taylor

The A-word has dominated our thoughts and conversations in this province for a very long time.

Now that it has been consigned to the dustbin of history, there are still many people wondering about the future - even those who voted against a merger.

It is clear that even though a large majority of people have absolutely rejected the amalgamation model that was put on the table, there is still a sizeable group of the population who believe things need to be done differently. Even Mayor Bill Dalton, who was a strong opponent of amalgamation, has stated that he believes change is needed. What that change is, is up to us to work out.

Is our structure of local governance right?

Do we need any change at all or should our five councils simply continue operating in their own silos? Are our cities and towns so distinct that they need to have their own identity or do we need to work together and share as many services as possible.

How do we develop a sustainable brand for Hawke's Bay that will make us comparable to the top performing provinces? How do we create jobs and bright futures for our people? Something profound has happened in our province through this process and we need to capitalise on that.

How do we do that? What do you think? We are inviting our readers to tell us how we, the people of this beautiful landscape, make this province even better.

In the coming weeks and months, beginning in our Insight section tomorrow, Hawke's Bay Today will be leading a conversation about what needs to be done.

Join us and let us know what you think at editor@hbtoday.co.nz.