Taking back the pen for a genuine head start

This afternoon, Mayor Aksel Bech announced Susan Law will step up as Acting Chief Executive of Waikato District Council, pending the formation of a Heads of Agreement between the parties. Ms Law is the incumbent Chief Executive at South Waikato District Council, and this announcement will see her take on both, in a shared executive leadership role for the time being.

Describing the appointment as a unique and innovative way forward, Mayor Aksel said the move demonstrated Council's willingness to lead rather than wait.

“We’re taking back the pen from central government and writing our own future.

“When faced with the challenge of appointing a Chief Executive, we didn't have to start from scratch. Head Start was an incredibly useful exercise that brought mayors, chief executives, and council staff together to test ideas and identify opportunities. We discovered strong alignment with our neighbouring councils, particularly South Waikato. There is a natural fit in how we think, which gives us confidence this can succeed.”

The absolute disappointment and frustration at central government’s pause on decisions around amalgamation was tempered by Mayor Aksel’s attitude of gratitude, and he is keen to show a return on investment for the hard work done by staff and the rich feedback received from communities.

“Rates affordability was a top three priority for our people. This will be a clear and significant cost saving of half the Chief Executive’s salary, direct to the ratepayer with no cuts to services, facilities, or spaces.”

South Waikato Mayor Gary Petley had no hesitation and sees this as a good thing for the district. "We are in a good place as a council, and we have the structure and personnel in place to make this work. I have full confidence in Ms Law's ability to manage the dual roles,” he said.

With over 30 years in executive leadership spanning health, housing and local government, Ms Law brings a wealth of experience leading transformative change and achieving major turnarounds in each of the organisations she has led, often in difficult political and financial times.

Ms Law considers this a clear sign that both councils are seeking ways to work more efficiently, and that we want to be part of shaping future solutions for how we operate.

"While arrangements like this aren't commonplace in local government right now, shared services of all types are being explored across the country – this is simply an example of it in action."

Law’s appointment reflects a pragmatic approach focused on maintaining momentum while providing stability for the organisation and community. Her track record demonstrates strong leadership, and Council is confident in her ability to lead the next phase of its transformation programme while maintaining a strong focus on day-to-day service delivery. Longer-term leadership decisions will be considered in February/March 2027, when there may be greater clarity on central government decisions affecting the wider region.

Mayor Aksel is optimistic about the opportunities the arrangement* presents. “This model will help identify further shared service opportunities between the two councils, delivering potential efficiencies and stronger regional collaboration. Should central government decide to progress amalgamation discussions in the future, we will already have established ways of working together. In many respects, we’re giving ourselves a genuine head start.”

*Waikato District Council has appointed Susan Law as Acting Chief Executive from 1 November 2026 to 31 May 2027, following the departure of Craig Hobbs. Susan is Chief Executive of South Waikato District Council and will hold both roles for the period with South Waikato's agreement. Costs will be shared.

The appointment gives Waikato District experienced leadership through its current organisational change and technology programme. It also allows both councils to do early discovery work on possible operating efficiencies and shared-service opportunities. Nothing has been decided in advance. Ms Law will report back to both councils by 31 March 2027, and any proposal to share a service will be a decision for each council.

The acting appointment is for a fixed period. Council is working towards advertising the permanent Chief Executive role in the new year. The shared-services work will inform the shape of that role.

Both councils remain fully independent, with their own elected members, budgets, and decisions. This is not a step towards amalgamation politically and rather seeks to explore potential shared services while continuing to provide core services to our communities.