What you told us

There is a lot to consider. 

We are now reflecting on your feedback and carefully considering all views to help shape our thinking. What is important now is that we focus on what is best for our communities and the Waikato region as a whole, so we can arrive at a thorough proposal which best reflects that.

What you told us

There were three key themes in feedback received across all channels:

1. Preservation of local voice was the single strongest concern shared by our communities.
   

• You told us that you see the opportunity to strengthen community boards with real delegates authority, the potential to legislate local representation and provide a system which ensures engagement with Maaori.
  

• Your biggest concerns are that our rural communities could be overshadowed by urban voice, smaller towns being forgotten in the shadow of Hamilton, and as a result losing community identity and character.
  

• Feedback from iwi Maaori and marae was very clear: there is no support for models that weaken existing settlement and partnership arrangements.
  

2. Infrastructure and service delivery

• You told us you see benefits including better transport planning and catchment management, with greater skilled experts to draw on, in a regional-scale, and being better able to manage the increased number of severe weather events.
  

• Your biggest concerns are the chance of rural roads losing priority to investment focussed more on cities, and services (libraries, offices) becoming remote in a larger council.
  

3. Debt, rates and financial fairness

• You told us there are opportunities to achieve fairer rating systems, that are more transparent, with savings achieved in sharing services and reducing duplication.
  

• Your biggest concerns are that we could end up taking on other councils’ debt, our rural communities may end up subsidising urban growth. Using Auckland’s super-city model, you told us you were concerned that the costs associated with amalgamating would mean less savings.
  

In considering these themes, our proposal aims to show:

• Fair and effective representation, ensuring meaningful engagement and decision making at a local level.
• Protection of the balance between urban and rural interests, ensuring local services continue.
• Co-governance that is a foundation, not an add-on, ensuring Treaty settlements and Waikato River co-governance arrangements — including joint management agreements — do not lapse.
• Effective and efficient use of resources to support regional resilience, growth and future success.
• Clear, honest answers to the questions of what will happen to rates, and where possible, ensuring there are protections in place regarding rates levels and what debt is carried and by whom.​