𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘀

Taranaki’s mayors have met behind closed doors to discuss the future of the region’s democracy.

Craig Williamson says Taranaki mayors want to revamp local government before regional councillors are redundant.

The Government wants to abolish regional councils and have boards of district mayors work out how best to govern their regions.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/.../no-more-regional-councils-major...

The Beehive wants to cut costs and streamline decisions with the biggest local government shake-up in 35 years.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/.../regional-councils-demise-the...

It might appoint commissioners to sit with the mayors, perhaps with the power to veto local decisions.

Mayors will take over regional activities, then have two years to plan a long-term structure for their councils and seek approval from the Minister of Local Government.

The Taranaki Mayoral Forum met last Thursday for the first time since the announcement two weeks ago – but their meetings are closed to the public and media.

The Forum is made up of the district mayors of New Plymouth, South Taranaki and Stratford and the chair of Taranaki Regional Council (TRC), whose job disappears under the reforms.

The TRC chair-for-now Craig Williamson said the private forum allowed the mayors and chair to talk freely, alongside their chief executives.

Emerging from the meeting, Williamson said restructured councils might not be a reality until 2029.

He said the Forum’s initial instinct was to work ahead of Government timelines so experienced regional councillors could take part before they’re dumped.

“We should absolutely front-foot this and do it together ... and not let it be done to us rather than doing it to ourselves,” said Williamson.

“It seems messy to us, [if there were] no regional councillors left to have involvement.

“The mayors and the district councils will freely admit they don’t have the same grasp on what the regional council does.”

Another pressure is New Plymouth and Stratford’s mayors plan to stand down in 2028, so novices would replace at least two of the three leaders half-way through the revamp.

Max Brough was elected as New Plymouth mayor eight weeks ago having campaigned to serve just one term.

Each mayor’s say on the board would be weighted to their population – and New Plymouth District is home to 90,000 of Taranaki’s 130,000 residents.

Wellington has suggested a weighting formula so small towns and rural dwellers get a say, but Brough is clearly in the driver's seat of a vehicle he didn’t choose.

“Am I qualified for it?” questioned Brough.

“It wasn't something I thought about during the election. Who saw this coming?

Max Brough says he only stood for New Plymouth mayor but will carry that responsibility to the regional level.

“But you're still responsible to the people of the district: If you don't like it, resign.”

Regional councils arrived in 1989 to manage land, water and air under the new Resource Management Act (RMA).

They cover environmental monitoring, flood control, biodiversity, biosecurity, public transport, natural hazard planning and climate change resilience.

Brough said years of tinkering had created a too-cumbersome system.

Brough didn’t think amalgamation of councils was inevitable at this stage, as there might be better options.

“Maybe you should have a district-wide shared services platform, where you all share tech, you share expertise, but then you have local delivery in each part that has a lot more local content,” said Brough.

The Government will investigate giving regional council activities to other agencies, running them differently, or dropping them.

The final shape depends on things like the Government’s proposed rates-cap law and changes to the RMA.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/.../government-announces-4-percent...

On Tuesday RMA minister Chris Bishop is due to announce changes to planning and consents law.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/.../sweeping-rma-changes-for...

“Regional councils will have a significantly reduced role,” said Bishop.

“There will be fewer plans, fewer consent categories, and fewer consents overall.”

In June Bishop announced a temporary power which gave central government the ability to intervene if RMA decisions by councils hampered economic growth, development or employment.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/.../government-to-give-itself-power...

Williamson said most functions of TRC needed to continue.

“Between the lines, the overall plan here is to create unitary councils across the country, probably 11 of them.”

“There's been strong pushback against combining all four councils in Taranaki.”

nā Craig Ashworth craig@tekorimako.co.nz

𝙇𝘿𝙍 𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙢 𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙏𝙚 𝙆𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙤 𝙤 𝙏𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙠𝙞 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙏𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙤 𝙄𝙧𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙞 𝙤 𝘼𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄𝙧𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙞 𝙩𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙩𝙪