Simplifying Local Government

The New Zealand Government is proposing changes to make local government simpler, more efficient and easier for communities to understand.

At present, local government in New Zealand includes district and city councils, regional councils, and unitary authorities. District and city councils are generally responsible for local services such as roads, libraries, parks, waste and water services and local planning, while regional councils focus on environmental management, regulation and public transport. Unitary authorities carry out both roles.

The Government considers the current structure can be complex, costly and sometimes unclear, particularly in places where both territorial and regional councils operate side by side. It has said wider reform is intended to create a more streamlined model with clearer roles and a stronger focus on core services and infrastructure.

What is being proposed?

The Government originally consulted on a proposal that would replace regional councillors with a region’s mayors and require those mayors to develop plans for more effective and efficient delivery of council services across a region. After consultation, the Government refined its approach and has now decided on a staged approach. This includes a voluntary Head Start pathway for councils that are willing and able to reorganise quickly, followed by wider reform after the 2028 local elections for councils that do not move through the earlier process.

What is the Head Start pathway?

The Head Start pathway was announced on 5 May 2026 as a streamlined, voluntary option for councils that want to progress local government reorganisation now, rather than waiting for wider nationwide reform.

Under this pathway, territorial and/or unitary authorities can work together to develop outline proposals for new unitary authorities. These proposals can cover all or part of a region and may include the formation of one, or a small number of, new unitary authorities.

Instead of preparing a broader regional reorganisation plan, councils using Head Start submit an outline proposal focused on structural change. The deadline for proposals is 9 August 2026, with the Government indicating it will decide by September 2026 which proposals should move on to detailed design, before final decisions are made in 2027.

The Government has said councils that do not progress through Head Start will remain on current arrangements for now, but wider reform is expected after the 2028 local elections through a separate backstop process which will be mandated by central government. This runs the risk of our own destiny not being in our hands.

Why is this happening?

Consultation on the original proposal attracted more than 1,150 submissions, including submissions from councils, sector organisations and iwi/Māori organisations. Submitters generally agreed there was a need for reform but raised concerns about the original model and asked for more flexibility for locally led change.

The Government says the revised staged approach is intended to allow faster progress in places where there is momentum for change, while giving other councils more time to focus on other major reforms, including the new planning system. It has said the combined Head Start and backstop approach is intended to provide greater clarity and certainty for councils and communities.

What this means for South Taranaki

South Taranaki District Council has unanimously agreed to take part in the Government’s Head Start pathway following an Extraordinary Council meeting on 26 May 2026.

This means South Taranaki District Council will work with the other Taranaki councils on a coordinated regional approach to explore possible future local government arrangements. Council has said that taking part gives South Taranaki a strong voice in shaping what future local government arrangements could look like across the region.

Importantly, Council has made clear that this decision does not commit South Taranaki to any future amalgamation, shared service arrangement or structural change. Council has said the decision is about being involved from the outset in shaping a proposal that reflects local needs, protects local representation and ensures the community’s interests are part of the conversation.

You can read our media release here.

Community Input

The Council asked for the community's views on the future of local government in Taranaki with a public survey that ran from 12 June - 12 July 2026. The survey asked residents to consider two possible scenarios for Taranaki’s future local government structure: One council for all of Taranaki, combining regional and district/city functions into a single unitary authority; or two councils for Taranaki, with one covering the New Plymouth district area and one covering the Stratford and South Taranaki district areas, with each taking on regional council functions.

The survey also asked people what matters most if local government is reorganised, including protecting local voice and decision-making, affordability, fair representation, accessible local services, and simplifying governance across the region.

Results of the survey were emphatic, with 94.24% of the 1,392 responses supporting two councils for Taranaki, with one covering the New Plymouth district area and one covering the Stratford and South Taranaki district areas, with each taking on regional council functions.

Support for two unitary councils covering Taranaki

Following further investigation into potential options and after receiving strong and consistent messages from residents, iwi partners and key stakeholders the South Taranaki and Stratford District Councillors voted (Mon 20 and Tues 21 July) to support a proposal for two unitary councils covering Taranaki as part of the Government’s Head Start pathway.

Specifically, their preferred option was for the South Taranaki District Council and Stratford District Council to amalgamate to form one unitary authority which takes on both district council and regional council functions for southern and central Taranaki.

Both Councils believe the preferred model is a balanced approach. It would simplify local government in Taranaki, while keeping decision-making closer to the communities most affected by those decisions. A Stratford and South Taranaki unitary council would better reflect the needs of our rural and smaller-town communities, while still allowing regional functions to be managed in a coordinated way where that makes sense.

You can read about the Council's decision in more detail here.

South Taranaki and Stratford District Councils Proposal

On 7 August 2026 South Taranaki District Council and Stratford District Council submitted a joint outline proposal to Government for two unitary councils covering Taranaki, through the Government’s Head Start pathway for simplifying local government. The decision was made at South Taranaki District Council’s Extraordinary Council meeting on Monday and Stratford District Council’s Extraordinary Council meeting on Tuesday last week (3 and 4 August).

The outline proposal would see the South Taranaki District Council and Stratford District Council amalgamate to form one unitary authority, taking on both district council and relevant regional council functions for southern and central Taranaki. It assumes New Plymouth district would form a separate unitary authority or another appropriate structure, with some region-wide functions managed through shared regional governance arrangements.

You can read the Councils media release here and the joint outline proposal here.

What happens next?

The outline proposal will go to Cabinet to make a decision on whether to approve the proposal or not. We expect to hear back from Government sometime at the end of September 2026 on the outcome of their decision. If our outline proposal gets approval, we then have around six months to develop a more detailed proposal.

The New Plymouth District Council has also been considering its own position on local government reform and both Stratford and South Taranaki District Councils remain committed to maintaining a constructive regional dialogue throughout the process.

It's important that existing regional functions continue to be delivered efficiently. For some services, this may be via the new unitary council, but for other services a regional approach may be required to achieve the best outcomes for the people and environment of Taranaki.

Timeline

• Outline proposal submitted to the Government 9 August 2026
• Cabinet decision made on outline proposals Sept 2026
• If outline proposal accepted - enter detailed design phase Oct 2026 - Mar 2027
• Detailed proposal submitted to the Government Mar 2027
• Cabinet decision made on detailed proposals May 2027
• If approved, detailed proposal implemented prior to Oct 2028 Local Body Elections
• If detailed proposal not accepted Government mandated 'Backstop' starts prior to Oct 2028 Local Body Elections

More Information

You can read the Government’s official information on the Department of Internal Affairs website here.

Frequently Asked Questions