A draft proposal for a single unitary authority is being considered at three separate council meetings on August 4.
The Waihou-Piako-Coromandel Head Start proposal will see Hauraki District Council (HDC), Thames-Coromandel District Council (TCDC), and Matamata-Piako District Council (MPDC), and their adjacent coastal marine areas, combined into one unitary authority.
An extraordinary meeting is being held by HDC to discuss the proposal, which has been developed by all three councils in response to the government’s Simplifying Local Government programme.
HDC said the proposal followed community surveys and cross-council workshops, and has been assessed against criteria provided by the government. It set out a possible future for local government built around the communities, catchments and economic connections that link Waihou, Piako, and Coromandel, the council said.
“[The proposal] would bring regional and district council responsibilities together within one authority, with the aim of providing clearer accountability, stronger local representation and more joined-up decisions across the proposed area.
“For Hauraki, this is an opportunity to consider whether a new structure could strengthen local influence while supporting more coordinated planning and investment across the wider area.”
Council staff are recommending HDC approve the proposal for submission to the government. The decision rests with elected members, and no decision has yet been made. The council said it would not comment further until elected members have considered the proposal.
Meanwhile, TCDC is also considering amalgamation options at its meeting on August 4.
The Waihou-Piako-Coromandel proposal, which was called East Waikato during community consultations, is one of three shortlisted proposals being considered by TCDC, and is listed in the meeting agenda as the council’s preferred option. The other two options are Greater Waikato and North Bay of Plenty.
MPDC staff have not indicated a preferred option. The agenda for its August 4 meeting states the community’s preference to be the Waihou-Piako-Coromandel proposal.
However, the agenda also lays out an option for the council to decline participation in the Head Start programme altogether, leaving it open to the government’s backstop option due to be determined after the 2028 local elections.
If all three councils agree to proceed with the amalgamation proposal, the next step will be the adoption of a collective Memorandum of Understanding.
The meeting agenda from MPDC also notes the three councils’ plans to send a letter from their mayors to the government, expressing their concerns with the limited timeline of the Head Start proposal process, as well as a preference to continue operating under the current status quo rather than amalgamating.
Proposals must be submitted to the government by August 9.
