The Government is progressing reform of local government focussed on improving the effectiveness, affordability and long-term sustainability of councils and local services across New Zealand.

It's being led by Government and is at an early stage.

As part of this work, the Government has indicated it wants to support Councils to:

• reduce unnecessary duplication
• improve coordination and decision-making
• strengthen long-term financial sustainability
• and ensure local government arrangements are fit-for-purpose for future community and infrastructure needs.

The Government announced councils can take part in a voluntary Head Start pathway, mapping out the future of local government in its region.

Council decided on 4 June to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to work with the other four council's in Hawke's Bay councils to explore the Head Start pathway

You can submit your initial views on this here, and we will be seeking views from community at meetings around the district over the next few weeks. We will announce the dates, times and venues for these meetings shortly.

Central Hawke's Bay District Council, alongside the other Hawke's Bay councils, is considering the Government’s announcement and what it may mean for our community.

This includes understanding:

• the Government’s proposed process and timeframes

• what participation in the voluntary Head Start pathway may involve

• possible options for governance, representation and service delivery

• what future community engagement or decision-making processes may be required.

The Government announced a voluntary Head Start pathway for councils wishing to explore potential reform options for their region.

Under this process:

• Councils can work together to develop and submit outline proposals to Government
• Outline proposals are due by 9 August 2026
• Government will then consider which proposals may progress further

If they don't take part in Head Start, there will be a backstop process. The backstop process will kick in after the next local government elections in 2028.

The Government indicated regions that don't participate in an approved Head Start pathway will have a backstop process applied. That means the Government decides what happens to them.

District and city councils that don't take part in Head Start, instead chosing to take part in Backstop, will continue through to the 2028 local government elections. The Backstop process will be applied after that.

At this stage, only high-level information has been provided about how any future backstop process may operate, but the Government has signalled it will be a standardised approach across councils.

Council has only recently started to consider the Government's policy approach and discuss regional options with Hastings, Napier, Wairoa and Hawke's Bay Regional Council. However, two themes have emerged as important in Council's thinking so far:

1. We are interested in lowering the cost of delivering services.
2. Any future options need to retain Central Hawke's Bay's identity and provide for effective local decision making on issues important to the local community.

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