16 July 2026
Gisborne District Council is inviting community feedback to get local views on the Government's reforms for council re-organisation and what they could mean for Te Tairāwhiti.
At its meeting on 25 June, Council agreed to begin early exploratory discussions prompted by the Government’s Head Start pathway for local government reform.
Mayor Rehette Stoltz says no amalgamation or governance changes are being proposed for our region.
“It’s an important opportunity to have early conversations about what our people may want for the future of local government in our region,” says Mayor Stoltz.
“We are already a unitary authority, which means we are responsible for both regional and district council functions. Because of that, we are not required to participate in the Government’s Head Start process.
“However, if local government reform continues nationally, we want to make sure Tairāwhiti has a voice and is ready rather than having decisions shaped elsewhere without our input.”
The Government’s Head Start pathway is requiring councils to explore possible amalgamation arrangements and regional governance options.
“At this stage, Gisborne Council is only seeking views and gathering information,” Mayor Stoltz says.
“We want to understand if people think we should keep our council as is, or what do they value most if new council arrangements were considered in the future.”
Community feedback will be sought online, with direct discussions also taking place with iwi and hapū, Wairoa District Council and Ōpōtiki District Council.
People are encouraged to share their views on:
- what should be protected in any future council arrangements
- what could be improved if councils worked differently
- any concerns about possible future changes
- the issues that matter most, such as local decision-making, services, rates, infrastructure, environmental management, emergency resilience and regional collaboration.
Mayor Stoltz says community perspectives will help inform any future discussions. Feedback received will be summarised and reported back to Council later this year.
Community feedback closes 12 August 2026 have your say on simplifying local government