The Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board has joined the council and a bevy of other groups in opposing a proposal to merge Northland's four councils into one.
The Local Government Commission last year proposed merging the current regional council and three district councils into a single Northland Council with seven community boards - or more powerful local boards, if the law is changed to make them possible. Submissions on the proposal close today.
At its meeting in Moerewa on Wednesday, the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board voted to make a submission opposing the plan. It follows similar decisions by the Far North District Council and Te Hiku Community Board. Board members are now formulating their submission, which they expect to make public next week.
Meanwhile, a series of public meetings has also come out against the reform proposal. Straw polls conducted at meetings hosted by Focus Paihia and the Greens, in Paihia and Kerikeri respectively, showed a majority opposed the merger proposal. However, some attendees at each meeting were strongly in favour.
*Submissions close at 5pm today, February 21. The 56-page draft proposal can be downloaded from the Local Government Commission's website, www.lgc.govt.nz. Hard copies are now also available from council service centres.
