Reform of Local Government
Central Government has given council 3-months to develop and discuss possible amalgamation options for their areas.
At an Extraordinary Meeting on 10 June, Council agreed to:
- Back the community's support for Option Six (fight for a better option), including the community's wish to challenge the proposed reform timeframe and look at other ways to improve local government.
- Investigate Option Four (go west to the Manawatū-Whanganui region), including financial modelling. This option had the strongest community support of any amalgamation option and was noted as either a first choice or backup option.
- Investigate Option Two (go south to Wairarapa), including financial modelling, noting support from iwi and some community members for this direction.
- Allow the Mayor and Chief Executive to continue talks with neighbouring councils.
No decision on amalgamation has been made. These are early decisions that reflect what the community told us: take the time to get this right, and put the district in the best position possible for whatever comes next.
A conversation with our community
During May, we asked our community a big question: if we had to amalgamate (combine) with other councils, what are your initial thoughts? Is there a particular option you definitely don’t want to happen?
The response from across the Tararua District (Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua) was big and it was meaningful, with over 550 people that showed up to community meetings and a total of 409 written and online submissions - from Woodville to Pongaroa, Dannevirke to Eketāhuna, rural roads to town centres.
Every submission is read:
- by the people you elected in October 2025 to represent you;
- by many of the staff of Tararua District Council; and
- we are making it all available to you - we'll be loading the comments into the full results dashboard soon.
Quick summary: What the community said
We shared six potential options and asked people to select their preference. People could select more than one option, as well as share their views in a free text field on both the online and printed form.
The leading options:
- Option 6: Fight for a Better Option (push back on forced amalgamation and develop a shared services model) was selected by 46% of respondents (190 selections).
- Option 4: Go West to the Horizons Region (amalgamate with councils in the Manawatū-Whanganui region) was selected by 46% of respondents (188 selections).
These two preferences were effectively tied, and 58 people chose both, reflecting a common thread through the conversation:
Push back first, but if we have to move, Horizons makes the most sense.
What your elected members took from it
What does the timeline look like
- 5 May 2026: Central Government announcement
Councils invited to fast-track local reform | Beehive.govt.nz - 18-27 May 2026: Public meetings across the district
Council held nine community meetings across the district, with more than 550 people in attendance. There were 409 people that shared their views through written and online feedback. Council also met with iwi partners and rural stakeholders. - 10 June 2026 at 1:00pm: Extraordinary Council Meeting
Council met outside its normal schedule to formally review the community feedback and consider the pathways forward.
Watch a recording of the meeting livestream
Read the agenda
Read the outcomes of the meeting - Between now and 9 August
Council will now talk with neighbouring councils to find out whether they are willing to take part in further discussions. Financial modelling will also be carried out where possible, and engagement with iwi and communities will continue. Council will report back before 9 August 2026, which is the deadline Central Government has given councils to submit their proposals under the Head Start process. - 9 August 2026: Head Start Proposal Deadline
The deadline for councils to submit outline proposals under Central Government's Head Start process. - 30 September 2026: Cabinet Review
Cabinet considers which outline proposals progress to next stage (detailed design). - 7 November 2026: General Election
It is unknown if a change of government could affect the direction (and pace) of decision-making. - 1 January 2027: Final Policy Decisions Expected
Central Government expects to make final decisions on detailed Head Start proposals and the wider backstop process. - October 2028: Local Government Elections
Any changes are expected to be in place by, or soon after, the 2028 local government elections.
More information
You can follow updates on Council’s social media pages and official communication channels as more information becomes available.
Related links:
- 5 May Announcement: Councils invited to fast-track local reform | Beehive.govt.nz
- Simplifying Local Government - dia.govt.nz
- Simplifying Local Government (Explainer from Local Government New Zealand)
Last updated: 10 June 2026