Wellington City Council is asking residents to join the conversation about whether the Council should merge with other local governments in the region.
In response to Central Government’s upcoming local government reforms, the Council said it is working with other councils to create a proposal for what local government in the Wellington region should look like in the future.
“The Central Government has been clear – change is coming, and we can either lead our own reform, or have it done to us,” said Wellington City Mayor, Andrew Little.
“For me, the bottom line is this: local people should decide the future of their local governments.”
If a Wellington region proposal is accepted and progressed through to detailed design, the Council expects to consult with the community at that next stage, the Mayor said.
“The Central Government has given us a 10-week deadline. While I don’t believe we can have this conversation properly in 10 weeks, we’re taking the deadline seriously – treating it as an opportunity, even.”
“If change to Wellington’s local government is unavoidable, then Wellingtonians should be deciding what that change looks like. I strongly encourage people to join the conversation – fill out the survey, come along to a forum, and keep an eye out for future opportunities to help shape our city and our region.”
People can share their views by completing the survey on the Council’s Let’s Talk website by 19 July. Public forums are also planned for late July.
