Kia Ora,

Last week, your Council unanimously decided not to submit a proposal through the Government’s Head Start local government reform process.

It was an important decision, but it wasn’t a difficult one because our community gave us a remarkably clear direction.

Over nine public meetings, written submissions, and many informal discussions, we’ve heard a consistent message - people didn't like the timeframe, and they didn’t believe simply making councils bigger would automatically solve the challenges facing local government or necessarily create better outcomes.

They told us to fight for a better option and that’s exactly what we’ve done.

Since hearing from the community, we’ve spent weeks testing assumptions, speaking with neighbouring councils, engaging with central government, analysing information, and exploring what Head Start could mean for the Tararua District. That work reinforced what many people had already told us. There simply isn’t enough certainty, evidence, or agreement to responsibly commit our district to such a significant change.

Saying no to Head Start doesn’t mean saying no to reform, far from it.

We agree that local government needs to change. The pressures facing councils are real, and there are better ways to do things, but reform should start by asking what the best system looks like, not simply who should merge with whom.

There are other possibilities worth exploring, including greater collaboration, shared services and other models that strengthen councils while keeping decision making close to the communities they serve. Those conversations can continue, and they should.

I’m also encouraged by the relationships that have developed with neighbouring councils throughout this process. We’ve had constructive discussions, which will be a strong foundation for the conversations still to come.

I’m grateful for the support of all councillors and council staff. You have a strong team, and I’m proud of the way this council has approached the challenge. We haven’t acted out of fear, we haven’t rushed to produce a proposal simply because the clock was ticking. We’ve taken the time to understand the issues, consider the evidence and listen to our community.

Most of all though, I want to thank everyone who took the time to have their say.

Whether you attended a meeting, completed a submission, sent an email, or stopped one of your councillors for a chat, you helped shape this decision. Your feedback wasn’t just listened to, it genuinely influenced the direction council has taken.

We often talk about the importance of community engagement, but this is a good example of it making a real difference. Our decision may have been unanimous around the Council table, but it was built on the voices of our community.

The conversation about local government reform is far from over, and we’ll continue working constructively to help shape what comes next. We know there is a lot of work ahead, but with your support we have a real shot at getting an outcome that doesn’t just reform local government but actually improves it.

Ngā mihi nui, many thanks,

Scott Gilmore - Mayor