Waikato – Roto ki te Moana – a proposal built around the river and its communities.
On Wednesday 22
July, our Mayor and Elected Members spent three and a half hours working
through what we’ve heard and where we’re heading. It was a working session, not
a decision-making one, but councillors gave clear and unanimous direction on
the option they want us to develop: a Western Waikato proposal, built around
the awa and its catchment, that would bring a group of neighbouring councils
together as one.
The regional picture
The western grouping
This shape:
- Centres on the Waikato River catchment and the communities connected by it.
- Aligns everyday life — where people live, work, travel and access services.
- Supports catchment-based planning and delivery — one of the strongest opportunities in community feedback.
South Waikato belongs in this story. Part of the district sits naturally within the river catchment and the western grouping — which is why South Waikato and its data are included in this proposal. For the communities that sit beyond the river boundary, we acknowledge more thought is needed — and they will not be left behind while that thinking is done.
Today, Friday 24 July 2026, Mayor Aksel sent a huge thanks to all the voices who have helped shape Council’s thinking. You can watch his video here.
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Last updated 24 July 2026, 04:41 pm