[As published in July/August 2026 BayBuzz magazine]

By any measure, Hawke’s Bay faces a defining choice about its future.

Our region needs one local government structure capable of effectively planning for and delivering the priorities that matter most to our communities. The logical solution is a single Regional Unitary Authority – I urge our local elected leaders to plan it well, do it once, and do it right. 

Any alternative model risks becoming a costly and time-consuming halfway measure that simply delays the inevitable. The case for a Regional Unitary Authority is compelling, and the direction of travel from central government suggests larger, more efficient local government structures will increasingly be expected.

The current Government has given local leaders a mission and a mandate, presenting a rare opportunity to revisit the structure of local government in Hawke’s Bay. Indications are that a Labour-led government would also endorse simplification and consolidation.

The benefits are clear. Councils are under enormous pressure to deliver more services and more infrastructure while ratepayers face rising living costs and growing financial strain. Hawke’s Bay has a population of approximately 170,000 people and around 70,000 ratepayers. Yet we support five separate councils and approximately 1,700 council staff across the region.

The reality is that our region is too small to sustain five councils efficiently. Equally, New Zealand is increasingly finding that 78 local authorities serving a population of just over five million people is difficult to justify.

Cyclone Gabrielle demonstrated what can be achieved when a region comes together behind a common purpose. Recovery and rebuilding only gained momentum once efforts were coordinated through our Regional Recovery Agency, supported by strong government investment, skilled leadership, and a clear strategy. Resources were aligned, duplication was reduced, and attention remained focused on agreed outcomes.

There is an important lesson in that experience.

The fundamental role of local government is to provide quality infrastructure and deliver services effectively and efficiently. A Regional Unitary Authority offers the best model for achieving that objective. One planning and delivery arm. One consenting arm.

In Hawke’s Bay we all use the same roads and bridges. We all rely on water infrastructure. We all depend on effective waste management, parks and reserves, public facilities, civil defence systems, senior housing, environmental management … the list goes on and on.

The opportunities for improvement are substantial. Standardised policies and processes, integrated technology systems, streamlined communications, decentralised local decision-making, clear performance targets, and stronger accountability would all contribute to better outcomes for communities and ratepayers alike.

Consider the inefficiencies created by multiple councils for our businesses and community groups that function across the Bay. Whether in sport, the arts, tourism, or economic development, organisations must navigate five annual plans, prepare submissions for five councils, and seek support from five separate decision-making processes. The time, money, and effort spent managing these complexities could be far better directed toward delivering services and creating value for the community.

I sense a growing groundswell across Hawke’s Bay that recognises local government reform is no longer simply desirable – it is urgently required. If we are serious about setting our region on a path to prosperity, we need a bold and courageous approach to our collective future. Now is the time to build the governance foundation to support that future.

‘Patch protection’ and engaging in territorial competition has no place in this discussion. The focus must be on ‘we’ … ‘them and us’ must be left in the past. 

Some will understandably worry that larger structures could weaken local representation. That concern can be addressed through a well-designed system of wards, community boards, and local boards that ensure communities of interest retain a strong voice in decision-making. Regional efficiency and local representation are not mutually exclusive.

Gisborne offers us a working model. Gisborne’s unitary authority demonstrates the advantages of having one decision-making table, one environmental authority, and one organisation responsible for major challenges such as climate adaptation, civil defence, transport infrastructure, water services, and regulatory functions.

Our region’s economic vitality is generated by its primary industries. The role of local government is to enable that prosperity through reliable infrastructure and consistent planning.

And this requires a mature discussion about debt. There is good debt and bad debt. Borrowing to build critical infrastructure and maintain essential assets over generations is good debt. Across New Zealand we have seen the consequences of deferred maintenance and underinvestment in vital community infrastructure. The costs of neglect invariably exceed the costs of proper stewardship. Investing in timely maintenance and planning for the replacement of ageing assets extends their useful life and saves money over the long term.

The urgency is real. At present, teams within five separate councils are developing plans and strategies that will shape our communities for decades. Too often those plans are developed independently, despite affecting the same region and many of the same people.

While Hawke’s Bay councils have made some collective progress through shared back-office services, this represents only the tip of the iceberg. The real opportunity lies in examining the entire regional structure through a genuinely collaborative lens. Failure to do so risks leaving our region behind.

New Zealand has done this before. The 1989 local government reforms consolidated approximately 850 separate authorities into 86 councils, creating a more effective and efficient system of local government. At the time, the reforms were bold and transformative. Looking back, few would argue they were unnecessary.

The question before Hawke’s Bay today is whether we have the same courage to think beyond existing boundaries and structures.

As a region, we need to be brave. We need to be bold. We need a plan for the whole of Hawke’s Bay, and we need to start building it now.

This is our opportunity to make a lasting difference to the future of our region. We should embrace it. 

First elected to Hastings Council in 2010, Sandra then served as mayor from 2017-2025.