Opinion: Why do we need so many councillors?

A visiting cricket team were able to enjoy the weather and scenery at Ocean Beach over the weekend. Photo / NZME

Don't know about you, but I tell people I live in Hawke's Bay.

Not Hastings, not Napier, but Hawke's Bay.

I suspect many people do similar, as part of the enormous pride we feel at being from the Bay.

I participated in a cricket tournament at Ocean Beach over the weekend. The weather and scenery were superb and we were thrilled that the visiting teams were able to see Hawke's Bay at its finest.

You want people to come here, you want them to see what the fuss is about and you want them to enjoy all that the region has to offer.

That's why I'm a bit baffled about why we still have separate Hastings and Napier councils.

Surely we're just Hawke's Bay and should have one local body that reflects that?

Different situation for Central Hawke's Bay? Sure. Wairoa? Definitely, but aren't we grown up enough to amalgamate our two main centres?

Especially when, to top the whole bloated thing off, there's a regional council too.

Just on regional councils, wow, what a soft landing they've been for a few failed MPs over the years. Cast your eye across the country and you'll see plenty of familiar names continuing to do well out of the public purse.

I've not been back living here long, but I have to say I was astonished to see Hastings still had its district council and the city council remained ensconced in Napier.

So as someone who's been away and not followed local politics in any substantial way, I'll freely admit that I don't know the impediments to amalgamation.

Hamish Bidwell doesn't tell people he lives in Napier or Hastings, he says Hawke's Bay. Photo / NZME

But I can't imagine ratepayers anywhere in the region reckon that two bodies are better than one. Or that, out of 140,000 residents, we have a surplus of competent councillors or council staff.

I'm not big on elected officials of any sort. In fact, the fewer the better I reckon.

More broadly, how proud are you of New Zealand's members of parliament at the moment? How sure are you that they have your interests at heart? Is this even a country where ideas and beliefs can be debated anymore?

And what about the great and the good of the world political stage? They condemn this and they sympathise with that, but are any of them actually going to do a flaming thing about what's happening in Ukraine?

I see a member of the British monarchy, and his wife, have issued a sternly-worded statement. That'll definitely cut Vladimir Putin to the quick.

Back here, I'd like a bit of debate about amalgamation. I'd like us to be pro-region, rather than parochial about our particular town.

Frankly, I'd like councillors and the like to have to justify their existence.

People can't forever lament the site of the hospital, Napier can't flood every time it rains, people can't avoid Hastings at night for all eternity. We actually have to get on and make this region as prosperous and cohesive as it can be.

If two local bodies can't achieve that, then maybe it's time to cut our losses.