Summary
- On 25 November 2025, the Minister of Local Government Simon Watts and Minster of RMA Reform Chris Bishop announced two proposals for reforming Regional Councils.
- Internal Affairs released a Simplifying Local Government proposal draft on the 27 November 2025 which went into further details about the options under consideration.
- The public consultation for the proposals is open until 20 February 2026, with public contributions being received on this Internal Affairs website.
- Proposal 1 is called “Abolishing Regional Councillors” and Proposal 2 is called “Locally-led Regional Reorganisation”.
- In Proposal 1, there would be no democratically elected regional councillors. Instead the reforms would create “new Combined Territories Boards made up of mayors from the region’s city and district councils”.
- The proposal would replace elected regional councillors with new “Combined Territories Boards” (CTB) made up of mayors from the region’s city and district councils.
- Other option being considered is having Crown Commissioners appointed by Central Government. Crown Commissioners will either be part of the CTB (with either no voting rights or more voting power than the mayors) or as a complete replacement of the CTB.
- Under Proposal 2, the “Combined Territories Boards” (CTB) would have two years to develop a “regional reorganisation plan” while “regional council operations will continue as they do now”.
- In the proposal the “regional reorganisation plans” will “recommend the best delivery model for each of the functions across the region (e.g., shared services, joint council-controlled companies, or amalgamations).”
- The Minister of Local Government would then decide if the reorganisation plan will be implemented. The proposal document is against any reorganisation plan being put to a referendum.
Links
Beehive press release (25 November 2025)
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/simpler-more-cost-effective-local-government
Proposal Draft on the Internal Affairs website (27 November 2025)
Internal Affairs website for public feedback on the proposed reforms (consultation closes on the 20 January 2026)
https://consultations.digital.govt.nz/simplifying-local-government/proposal/
Quotes
“In short, the Government proposes replacing regional councillors with a board of mayors who will work together on regional issues. This new board will be required to identify how council services can be delivered more effectively and efficiently in the regions in a regional reorganisation plan. The Government will consider these plans for approval. We also want to hear your views on alternative short-term options for regional governance, including ones where the Government plays a bigger role.”
Simplifying Local Government consultation website, Internal Affairs, 27 November 2024
“Local government is meant to serve communities, not confuse them. But right now, the system is tangled in duplication, disagreements, and decisions that don’t make sense. No wonder over half of New Zealanders don’t vote in local elections.
Take the council that spent hundreds of thousands challenging a housing development over wetlands that didn’t turn out to exist. Or the region where different councils and the Crown all employ park rangers to do similar jobs. Or the developer who needed consents from two separate councils for the same project, each with different rules, different fees, and different timelines.
This isn’t just inefficient – it costs ratepayers time, money, and trust.
We’re proposing a reset. Under this plan, regional councillors will be replaced by a new governing body. Our preferred model is a Combined Territories Board: a team of mayors who already know their communities and can work together to make regional decisions. It’s a practical step that cuts through the clutter and brings clearer leadership. There are alternative options for regional governance set out in this document, based on the Crown Commissioner model, so with less local voice.
But the real change comes with the regional reorganisation plans.”
Minister of Local Government Simon Watts and Minster of RMA Reform Chris Bishop in the Ministerial Foreword to titled Simplifying Local Government: A draft proposal, November 2025
“The Government has announced proposals that would fundamentally simplify how we plan our cities and regions and make it far easier to build the future New Zealanders deserve.
“These reforms would deliver the most significant changes to local government since 1989,” Mr Bishop says.
“Councils and their elected members shape the places we live, the local services we rely on, and makes decisions that affect our everyday lives.
“But local government is meant to serve communities, not confuse them. But right now, the system is tangled in duplication, disagreements, and decisions that defy common sense.
“The government does not think local government is serving New Zealanders well and the time has come for reform.
“In a couple of weeks, we will introduce our resource management reforms to Parliament.
“Our new planning system is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to set New Zealand on the path to economic growth that lifts our living standards and protects the environment.
“Our reforms will strip out duplication in the system, standardise processes, and drive down complexity and compliance costs.
“Under the new planning system there will be fewer plans, fewer consent categories, and fewer consents overall. Regional councils will have a significantly reduced role as part of this new planning system.
“The government is therefore proposing two changes to our existing system of local government.”
Proposal 1 – Abolishing Regional Councillors
This would replace elected regional councillors with new Combined Territories Boards made up of mayors from the region’s city and district councils.
“When citizens vote for their Mayor, they are choosing who they want to lead local representation for the next three years. Most people know their Mayor. Few could name the chair of their Regional Council, or even a regional councillor,” Mr Watts says.
“Combined Territories Boards would empower Mayors from the same region to work together to govern their regions through genuine regional collaboration.
“It would streamline regional decision-making across planning, infrastructure, and regulation, reduce duplication, and strengthen accountability. It would also remove an unnecessary, confusing, and expensive structure.
“Most decisions would be made through a population-based voting system that ensures smaller communities’ voices are heard. For resource management decisions, a dual threshold would apply requiring both a majority of population-weighted votes and a majority of Board members.
“This ensures both urban and rural interests are represented in decisions on land, water, and catchment management.
“Ratepayers deserve a system that works for them, not one bogged down by unnecessary layers of bureaucracy.
“By removing regional councils, we can cut duplication, reduce costs, and streamline decision-making. This means more efficient services, greater accountability, and better value for every dollar spend. It’s about delivering a leaner, more efficient local government that puts communities first.”
“We’re also seeking feedback on what role and powers the Crown has on these boards.”
Proposal 2 – Locally-led Regional Reorganisation
“This would see the new Combined Territories Boards (CTB) lead regional reorganisation plans.
“Each CTB would be asked to prepare a regional reorganisation plan within two years of establishment,” Mr Watts says.
“These plans would assess how councils across a region can best work together to deliver efficient and effective local infrastructure, public services, and regulatory functions.
“Options could include shared services, council-owned companies, reallocating functions, or merging territorial authorities to form new unitary councils.
“Regional reorganisation plans would be tested against clear criteria. They must support national priorities like housing and infrastructure, offer financially responsible arrangements that keep rates manageable, and deliver better services at lower cost.
“Plans would need to set out clear leadership and accountability, ensure decisions are made at the right local level, and uphold all Treaty settlement commitments. They must also include a practical pathway for implementation so changes can be delivered smoothly and on time.
“Final plans would be approved by the Minister of Local Government, rather than through polls or referenda.”
Consultation on these proposals is open now until Friday 20 February 2026 through the Department of Internal Affairs website. A final proposal will be confirmed by March so legislation can be drafted.
“This is a once-in-a-generation chance to build a simpler, clearer, and more efficient local government system for New Zealanders,” Mr Bishop says.”
Minister of Local Government Simon Watts and Minster of RMA Reform Chris Bishop in Beehive press-release titled Simpler, more cost-effective local government, 25 November 2025
Further reading on this issue
