Waipā Mayor voices frustration after local government reform decision

Waipā District Mayor Mike Pettit says councils have every right to be frustrated after being pushed to deliver Head Start proposals at speed, only for the Government to now pause the decision-making process.

His comments come after today’s announcement that any further consideration of local government reorganisation will come after the 2026 general election.

“Being given three months to come up with a Head Start proposal or have the decision made for us, was a carrot or a stick ultimatum, and that makes this announcement hard to swallow.

“Councils have put a huge amount of work into developing these proposals in a very short timeframe and that has come at a cost to our ratepayers.

“Waipā has worked hard with our regional partners to understand the options, consider what they could mean for our communities and develop a proposal that we believed was worth exploring.

“That work has value, but we also need certainty about what happens next. Councils and communities should have confidence that if further work is required, there is a clear process and a clear purpose for that work and the government will actually make a decision.”

Mayor Pettit says Waipā will continue to work constructively with its regional partners while the Government considers its next steps.

“We have continued to build some strong relationships through this process, and we will continue those conversations. Local government reform is too important to get wrong, and it needs to be informed by the people and communities who will ultimately be affected by any changes.

“In the meantime, we have plenty of important work in front of us.

“We can now focus our energy on delivering for our communities and getting on with implementing the Government’s resource management reforms.

“Waipā is a growing district and we need to make sure we are well positioned for the future, whatever the eventual shape of local government looks like.

“We will continue to engage constructively with the Government, our neighbouring councils, iwi and other partners as the next steps become clearer.

“For now, it is business as usual. Our focus remains on delivering for our communities and making sure Waipā has a strong voice in conversations about its future.”