Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s consultation on local government reform has drawn strong community engagement, with more than 450 submissions received across in-person sessions and written feedback.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s engagement process – now closed – drew participation from across the district, including 193 people at six in-person sessions and 262 written submissions, alongside wider feedback on social media.

Mayor James Denyer said in a media release that the level of participation reflected strong community interest in the issue, despite its complexity.

“People understand this is complex, but they’ve still shown up, asked thoughtful questions, and been willing to work through what this could mean in practice.”

The consultation followed the Government’s introduction of a “Head Start” pathway for local government reform, signalling a potential shift towards fewer, larger councils and changes to how local and regional functions are delivered.

The council sought feedback on a range of scenarios, from retaining a Western Bay authority with expanded regional responsibilities through to merging with neighbouring councils in different configurations.

While detailed analysis of submissions continues, Denyer said early feedback showed a willingness to consider change, alongside a clear call for further investigation before decisions are made ahead of the August 9 deadline.

“We heard consistent concerns around maintaining local voice and representation, with a clear desire not to take on existing debt from other councils.”

Other key themes included the need for cost-effective service delivery and ensuring both rural and urban communities are fairly represented.

The council will continue discussions with neighbouring authorities in the coming weeks to assess which options may meet the Government’s criteria.

Denyer thanked residents for contributing to the process, saying their feedback would help shape any proposal put forward.

“It’s important people understand how useful their feedback has been. It will help guide our thinking and shape the design of any potential Head Start proposal.

“The final decisions will sit with central government, but our responsibility is to make sure our communities’ views are part of that process.”

The council is due to meet on June 30 to formally receive the consultation feedback and consider its next steps. Any proposal under the Government’s Head Start pathway must be submitted by August 9.