Upper Hutt Mayor Peri Zee is urging other Wellington region councils not to force Upper Hutt into amalgamation against its will. The current proposal would see Wellington, Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt, and Porirua City Councils merge, along with three Wairarapa councils and potentially Kapiti Coast District Council, with a layer of community councils beneath. Councils across New Zealand have until 9 August to submit plans to simplify local government.
Mayor Zee has told councillors she is sceptical of the merger and has not yet heard a clear value proposition for amalgamation. She plans to ask elected members across the region to respect local decision-making if Upper Hutt votes against the proposal next week. Analysis by consultants MartinJenkins showed a merged Wellington council could cost 290 million dollars to set up but result in savings of 930 million dollars over 25 years. Zee argues the amalgamation would not deliver enough benefits for ratepayers.
Wellington Mayor Andrew Little says he will submit a proposal that includes the four metro councils if his council backs the plan. Little has warned that if councils do not submit proposals by the deadline, the Government may impose its own solution. He wants the Wellington region to decide its own fate rather than leave the decision to central government. A survey of 3,016 Wellington city residents found 85 percent supported councillors putting forward merger plans.
The debate reflects divided community views on local government reform. Some residents fear forced amalgamation would jeopardise Wellington city’s special character, including council housing and nature restoration programmes. Others, including climate consultant Matt Raeburn, believe a merged council would give the region a stronger unified voice on issues like climate change, similar to Auckland Council. A decision is expected next week.
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Source: RNZ – Political 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.
