By Moana Ellis, Local Democracy Reporting
Mayors were not elected to provide regional oversight on environmental regulation or to design a new regional council model, Horizons Regional Council chair Nikki Riley says.
A Government proposal to swap elected regional councillors for mayors could undermine democratic representation, she says.
“While the mayors in our region are capable people, they were not elected – and did not campaign to be elected – on the understanding they would be responsible for regional environmental oversight, or that they would be responsible for delivering a reorganisation of local government services across the region.
“Horizons councillors act as a strong voice for our communities and the environment, and stripping away this layer of governance could weaken local representation.”
Mayors had recent experience with reorganisation work under the Local Water Done Well scheme, but delivering a similar piece of work for all council functions would be challenging.
“Any change to the regional council model should be in collaboration with regional and unitary councils who have experience delivering key services on a regional scale,” Riley said.
Review of council roles
The Coalition Government yesterday proposed replacing elected regional councillors with mayoral-led panels, or Combined Territories Boards (CTBs), in what could be the biggest local government shake-up in 35 years.
The Government is also reviewing regional council roles to decide which responsibilities stay local, are cut or centralised.
Riley told Local Democracy Reporting the proposal would remove both mana whenua and female leadership from regional local government.
Under the proposed model, regional constituencies, including Māori constituencies, would be eliminated. Mayors on the CTB would represent voters from both Māori and general rolls.
“At Horizons, we have seen the benefits of having Māori representation around the table. If the Boards are implemented before the next local government elections, we would also see no female leadership at this level of democracy in our region.”
However, Riley – newly elected to her first term as chair of the Manawatū-Whanganui regional council – said discussion on the proposed reform could open the door to resolving entrenched issues and lift outcomes for local communities.
Much of the complexity in local government came from the legislation it operates under, she said.
“I applaud this government for recognising that and for trying to fix it through its resource management reform programme.
“Getting this fix right will create a strong future for regional service delivery and, if done well, create an environment where we can achieve even more with our communities through collaboration, thanks to enabling legislation.”
New Zealand’s 11 regional councils are responsible for resource management, including flood protection, air quality, public transport, pest control, civil defence and other essential functions. They were created through the 1989 local government reforms, which replaced more than 700 local bodies and the functions of the former county councils.
Under the proposal, the mayors of each region’s district and city councils would form 11 panels to lead and govern regional council business, and draft long-term plans to reorganise council structures.
The Government has also proposed appointing Crown Commissioners to the CTB or regional councils short-term, either with limited powers or full control.
CTBs must develop a reorganisation plan within two years, subject to Government approval, similar to water plans. If a CTB fails to produce a robust plan, a Commissioner can be appointed to draft it. The plan will propose a new model, such as amalgamation or a joint CCO, and the CTB may be retained, dissolved or repurposed depending on the region.
‘Democratic accountability’
Riley said communities must be connected to the organisation that delivers their important regional environmental services.
“There needs to be democratic accountability for regional decision-making, given the impact it has on people’s lives and livelihoods.”
Independent research showed that delivering critical public services at a regional scale was best for the economy, environment and safety.
“The scale is big enough to make a difference and generate efficiencies, while being small enough to have extensive knowledge of the catchments we work in and make connections with communities affected by decisions,” Riley said.
“Many of the functions Horizons delivers – flood management, civil defence, pest control and more – are best delivered at a regional scale. There are also environmental benefits to regional delivery.”
There were multiple examples of this in the Horizons region, including recent emergency management work in Ruapehu, support provided to catchment care collectives for data collection and pest trapping, and the recent suite of flood protection projects completed in Manawatū, Palmerston North, Rangitīkei, Horowhenua and Whanganui.
The research by economics and policy advisory firm Castalia was released last week by Te Uru Kahika.
Riley said a “mountains to the sea” approach provided benefits by ensuring activities at the top of a catchment had the bottom of a catchment in mind.
“Some of the best work we do is in partnership with our communities, outside of the complicated and cumbersome legislation we legally must enforce on behalf of central government.
“A prime example is the Sustainable Land Use Initiative, which provides all-of-catchment benefits for the economy and the environment through working with landowners.”
‘Disappointing’
Riley said it was disappointing the Government did not engage meaningfully with the regional council sector before announcing its plans.
The best results would come from collaboration with central government, mana whenua, local government and others, and any changes must be delivered in a way that minimises disruption to service delivery.
“The last thing we want is for service delivery to decline throughout the proposed reform, given the benefits of our work to the environment, the economy, and the people in our region.”
Horizons welcomed the consultation period on proposed changes, running until 20 February 2026. Staff and councillors remained focused on delivering the best outcomes for the region, Riley said.
“Under this proposal, Horizons will retain its responsibilities for some years. There is still a lot of water to go under the bridge before any proposal is legislated and implemented.
“We are also actively working on the risks this proposal may present regarding long-term planning and contracting of services.”
In announcing the proposal on Tuesday, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop sai local government was not serving New Zealanders well.
“Local government is meant to serve communities, not confuse them. But right now, the system is tangled in duplication, disagreements, and decisions that defy common sense.”
The reforms will strip out duplication in the system, standardise processes, and drive down complexity and compliance costs, he said.
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