Tararua District Mayor Scott Gilmore has welcomed the Government’s decision to take more time to consider proposals under the Head Start local government reform process and says it recognises that reform of local government is too important to be rushed.

“I commend the Government for recognising that this can’t be rushed. That has been our position from the beginning.

“There is still some irony in councils being given three months to consider potentially generational changes, only for the Government to now recognise that it needs more time itself.”

The Tararua District Council unanimously decided not to submit a proposal under Head Start. Mayor Gilmore says that avoided significant expenditure on developing a rushed proposal, although the process has still come at a cost.

“We have lost time and we won’t get that back and the uncertainty has also caused and is still causing angst in our communities.

“I’m pleased we didn’t spend the significant sums some other councils have spent preparing proposals, particularly when this is the outcome.”

Mayor Gilmore says his council remains committed to reform and hopes the next stage provides a genuine opportunity to develop better solutions.

“I support reform. There are real opportunities to do things differently, improve efficiency while protecting the local voice that matters to our communities, and we will continue to work with our neighbours to explore opportunities to share services and simplify local government”.

“We now need some certainty. Councils are using significant resources jumping from one announcement to the next.

“My hope is that the backstop process will be genuinely collaborative and give us the opportunity to develop reform that works, and our communities can back”.

“This is too important to get wrong. Now is the time for a considered approach that councils can get behind and communities can support.”