Hastings District Council is working with Napier City Council and Central Hawke’s Bay District Council to establish a joint council-owned water services organisation under the Government’s Local Water Done Well framework. The regional approach follows community consultation in mid-2025, during which 1000 submissions were received from Hastings residents, with 83 per cent supporting a joint Water Services Council Controlled Organisation. Residents in Napier and Central Hawke’s Bay also expressed support for the shared model.
The councils have made significant progress through 2025 and early 2026. Community consultation took place in May and June 2025, followed by a decision to proceed with the regional model in July 2025. A Water Services Delivery Plan was submitted and accepted by the Department of Internal Affairs between September and October 2025. In April 2026, Hastings District Council approved key establishment steps including legal documents, shareholder arrangements, a transition budget, and the appointment of interim representatives to a joint Shareholders’ Representative Forum.
The new organisation, Water Hawke’s Bay Limited, is designed to support safe, reliable and affordable water services while meeting new national standards and supporting future growth across the region. The regional council-controlled organisation will be not-for-profit and remain in public ownership. Final establishment depends on corresponding decisions by Napier City Council and Central Hawke’s Bay District Council.
Next steps include legal incorporation of Water Hawke’s Bay Limited, appointing an independent board, developing a Statement of Expectations, and planning the transfer of services, staff, systems and assets from the three councils. If all partner councils confirm the proposal, establishment and transition work will continue through 2026 and 2027, with the new organisation expected to be fully operational from 1 July 2027. All councils must have systems in place that achieve Government standards by 30 June 2028.
Read the full article at Hastings District Council – News →
Source: Hastings District Council – News. This summary was published by Input Ltd via amalgamation.nz, New Zealand’s central resource for local government amalgamation news and council merger updates.
