Mayors join for future plan

Local Government Commissioner Sir Wira Gardner will meet with the region's leaders.

In a bid to move forward as one region, mayors, chairs and councillors from Hawke's Bay's five councils are getting together to hash out a strategy for the future.

The meeting, to be held on November 30, is a chance for the region's leaders to move forward together in a post-amalgamation environment, with Local Government Commissioner Sir Wira Gardner returning to the Bay for the event.

Napier Mayor Bill Dalton said the past year has been tough on councillors, the year's debates throwing up some very different opinions "from different councils but within councils as well".

"It is all about moving on," he said.

"We are all back at our jobs now and we all need to work together and that is what we are doing," he said.

"The biggest take away from it [the meeting] will be the councillors just feeling comfortable with each other from the different councils."

Mr Dalton said the region's local authorities were wanting to work together for the betterment of Hawke's Bay.

"[While we] were anti-formal amalgamation, we are not anti-councils working together," he said. "We are totally pro councils working together, so here is an opportunity to hopefully get them all singing from the same song book."

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule said the time would be used to put an agenda together about the future of the region.

"I suggested after amalgamation that we should get all the councillors together," he said.

"We have only done it once before. I don't think it [will be] too heavy, it is really for people to have a conversation amongst themselves amongst all the councils the region."

Mr Dalton said his team was very supportive of the idea of a region-wide meeting.

"My councillors think it is a hell of a good idea that we all take the opportunity to get together. What we are doing is we are working bloody hard to make sure that the councils all work cooperatively and collaboratively."