Feedback closes at 5:00pm on Wednesday 24 June 2026.
The Government has announced it wants to reduce the number of local authorities across New Zealand. As part of this, it is asking councils to consider amalgamating district and regional councils into single organisations, known as unitary authorities.
A unitary authority combines the roles of both district councils and a regional council, such as Northland Regional Council.
The Government has indicated a preference for one unitary authority per region, however there is some flexibility for larger regions or those with more complex needs.
Across Northland, councils have welcomed the Head Start pathway to lead local government reform. An Elected Member Steering Group has been established to guide this work. Each council will continue to make its own decisions about any future proposal.
Give us your feedback
We want to understand how people across the District feel about these potential changes.
Your feedback will help shape the Head Start proposal being developed by Northland councils over coming months, so we can work towards an approach that best meets our communities' needs.
Please provide your feedback by 5:00pm on Wednesday 24 June 2026.
Northland local government reform survey
Head Start pathway
The Government is giving councils a three-month window (until 9 August 2026) to propose the new arrangements themselves under the Head Start pathway and has stated, if councils cannot do this, the Government itself will propose amalgamations under a Back Stop approach.
Whether councils use the Head Start pathway or the Back Stop process, approval will be required from the Government before any work starts on the amalgamation of district and regional councils.
The voluntary Head Start pathway provides councils with an early opportunity to propose their own arrangements for regional reorganisation into unitary authorities.
There are a few conditions attached – two or more councils are required to work together on the proposal, and the proposal can incorporate other councils, whether they agree with the proposal or not.
Back Stop process
For regions that are not part of the Head Start pathway, district and city councils will continue through to the 2028 elections.
The Back Stop process involves the Government amalgamating existing councils into unitary authorities after the 2028 Local Elections. This process will be developed by the Government in 2027.
Government assessment criteria
Proposals will be assessed against five criteria:
- Can it actually be done? The proposal needs to be realistic and able to be delivered on time.
- Does it support the new planning system? It should make it easier, not harder, to roll out new planning rules and plans.
- Does it simplify things? It should reduce duplication and make decision-making clearer and more efficient.
- Will it deliver better value? It should improve efficiency, save money over time, and support better infrastructure and services.
- Are communities still well represented? It needs to keep a strong local voice and fairly represent different communities, including urban and rural areas.
Next steps
There will be further opportunities to have your say on any detailed proposal accepted by the Government.
This next phase of consultation is expected to take place after October 2026.