Hastings votes to support amalgamation

The vote will be signed off by Mayor Lawrence Yule and his deputy, Cynthia Bowers. Photo / Glenn Taylor

Hastings District Council has voted to lodge a submission supporting amalgamation, the details of which will be signed off by Mayor Lawrence Yule and his deputy, Cynthia Bowers.

Hastings is the only one of the region's five councils to support the Local Government Commission's proposal to merge Hawke's Bay's local authorities into a single super council.

At its monthly council meeting yesterday the council voted to authorise chief executive Ross McLeod to prepare a submission, in consultation with Mr Yule and Ms Bowers, supporting the commission's amalgamation proposal.

While the council is supportive of amalgamation, the submission will address several areas of concern it has about the commission's draft proposal, including the proposed number of councillors, the structure and scope of work that would be done by community or local boards, and representation of rural communities and Maori.

The Hastings submission will include feedback from the Maori community representatives on the council's Maori Joint Committee.

The pro-amalgamation stance was supported by all councillors at yesterday's meeting except Rod Heaps who voted against the resolution saying he opposed amalgamation.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council, Wairoa District Council and Central Hawke's Bay District Council have all voted to lodge submissions opposing the amalgamation proposal.

Napier City Council will meet on Wednesday to discuss its submission to the commission. Mayor Bill Dalton and most councillors are opposed to amalgamation and the council is expected to lodge a submission strongly opposing the merger proposal.

Any Hawke's Bay group or individual can make a submission and the deadline for lodging submissions is next Friday.

The commission has said it intends holding public hearings in the region, most likely in mid-April, for those wanting to speak to their submissions.