Waikato Regional Council touts unitary council for the region

Thursday, 7 May 2026

Waikato regional councillors, including chairperson Warren Maher, inset, are pushing for a unitary authority to replace the region’s 11 territorial authorities.

Waikato Regional Council is pushing for a single unitary authority to replace the region’s 11 independent territorial authorities.

The regional council can’t submit a proposal of its own under the Government’s Head Start pathway to reform local government - released to the public on Tuesday - but chairperson Warren Maher wants to work with the Waikato Mayoral Forum to develop the option.

Councils in the Waikato, and nation-wide, have three months to put forward unification plans for government approval or it will be done for them, Minister for Resource Management Act (RMA) Reform and Infrastructure Chris Bishop said this week.

The Waikato Regional Council is tasked with the management of the region’s waterways, including Lake Karapiro.

Mayors and chairs in the region say it’s the biggest shake up of local government in 40 years, and it will see regional councils disbanded before the next local government elections in October 2028.

Maher said regional councillors met informally on Wednesday to discuss the Government's plans, and emphasised the need for regional functions to be well considered in any proposals being developed across the region.

Te Huia, and the entire regional transport system, is operated by the regional council.

To achieve this, they said they would help local councils to meet the criteria of regional functions, in particular catchment management, and transport.

Where the unitary council would be based was part of the overall discussio, Maher said, but he was keen to put forward his council’s position as one of many ideas that would be heard in the coming months.

Coastal protection and flood mitigation programmes are also run by the regional council.

He said the Head Start pathway was “a constructive step forward” in the wider local government reform programme.

“Our council has always said change is needed in local government and now there’s a pathway to join forces to do so.”

He said the Waikato Mayoral Forum had already been working together to explore what a future model could look like, taking into account the characteristics and complexities of the Waikato region, and the wide range of regional council functions and activities.

“We’re focused on how we can operate at the right scale while improving efficiency and strengthening service delivery.

“There are naturally a range of views around the table on how best to achieve this, and we respect the different perspectives.”

He said the council recognised the importance of its relationships with iwi in the rohe, and any options would be discussed with them.

It was important that local voices help to shape reform in the Waikato, he said.

“If you have ideas on what the future of local government in the Waikato could look like, please reach out to your constituent councillors. Our phone numbers are available on the regional council website.”

Maher said confirmation that existing regional governance arrangements will remain in place in the near term will help maintain stability and continuity.

“Keeping current governance in place for the duration of the triennium supports the delivery of the work our communities rely on every day, from flood protection and environmental management to transport planning and emergency response.

“Continuity matters while the bigger reform picture is worked through, and it’s reflected strongly in our new strategic direction.”

However, Maher said significant challenges remain, particularly the lack of central government funding to support councils undertaking this work within tight timeframes.

“This is complex, resource-intensive work, and at present there is no dedicated funding to support councils through this process,” he said.