New Plymouth council gets creative to meet local govt reform deadline

Facing a looming deadline to submit on local government reforms, the New Plymouth District Council has got creative.

At an extraordinary meeting this week, councillors decided to draft what is being described as a 'Pathfinder' proposal that will not identify a preferred model before the government's 9 August deadline for 'Head Start' submissions.

To meet Head Start criteria, proposals must be submitted by two or more territorial authorities, with regional councils unable to submit.

NPDC has worked on a reform proposal with the Taranaki Regional Council only, while Stratford District Council and South Taranaki District Council worked on their own Head Start option.

Despite this, NPDC said it saw value in sharing its intentions and thinking with government by 9 August.

"The [Pathfinder] proposal will outline the work completed to date, indicate a direction of travel and set out a range of options requiring further analysis, as well as engagement with iwi and community.

"It's a name and concept NPDC has come up with as a constructive way to participate in the government's Head Start process, bearing in mind the specific Taranaki circumstances."

It said this approach kept several options open and signalled to cabinet that meaningful work was underway in Taranaki.

The concept also recognised that local democracy required iwi partners, stakeholders and communities to have the opportunity to consider the options and provide feedback, before any final proposal was submitted.

"Importantly, it also gives us time to gather the facts we need to inform our proposal and understand the options, before coming up with a preferred model.

"Ultimately, it will be up to the government whether our proposal progresses beyond March. However, the work will still have value, even if we proceed via the 'Backstop' pathway."

The draft Pathfinder proposal would come before NPDC and Taranaki Regional Council in late July or early August for a decision on whether to submit.

"It's worth noting we are not alone in considering this approach, for example. Thames Coromandel District Council is also investigating what it has termed a 'Pace Setter' option."

A final proposal would be developed for consideration in March 2027 for either the Detailed Proposal or Backstop local government reform pathway.

NPDC said conversations continued between all four Taranaki councils, as they looked for alignment on local government reform.

Stratford District Council and South Taranaki District Council were holding extraordinary meetings on 20 and 21 July to confirm their preferred Head Start option.

NPDC would still have the option to support another council's final proposal. This would be brought to NPDC councillors for a decision.

Mayor Max Brough and councillors would meet next week to determine this work programme through to March.