Local Government Feedback on reform proposals

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Purpose of the eight-week period
Summary of local government feedback
Individual council submissions
Letters to councils (published May 2022)

This page provides information on the feedback received through the eight-week period for council feedback on the three waters reform proposals undertaken during August and September 2021.

Purpose of the eight-week period

At the request of LGNZ, the Government set aside a period from 1 August 2021 to 1 October 2021 for local authorities to consider the impact of the reform proposals on them and their communities, and to provide feedback on the proposed model.

Local authorities were not asked to take any formal decisions regarding the reform through this period. The purpose of this period was for all local authorities to:

• engage with and understand the large amount of information that has been released on the nature of the challenges facing the sector, the case for change, and the proposed package of reforms, including the recently announced support package;
• take advantage of the range of engagement opportunities to fully understand the proposal and how it affects your local authority and your community; and
• identify issues of local concern and provide feedback to LGNZ on what these are and suggestions for how the proposal could be strengthened.

The Department, Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), and Taituarā collaborated to produce this guidance for Councils through this period.

Three Waters Guidance for Councils - August and September 2021 [PDF, 517KB]

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Summary of Local Government Feedback

The Department of Internal Affairs, Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), and Taituarā have prepared a joint report that summarises feedback from the local government sector on the Government’s three waters reform proposals that were released on 30 June 2021.

This report collates and summarises written feedback submitted by individual councils and groupings of councils into a comprehensive national picture. It has also been informed by local government feedback gathered during engagements undertaken by LGNZ, the Department and Taituarā during the eight-week engagement period.

This report includes a comprehensive executive summary and more detailed summary in the body of the report.

Summary of local government feedback on the Three Waters Reforms proposals [PDF, 2MB]

You may also be interested in finding out what has changed as a result of council feedback (out of the eight-week period).

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Individual local government submissions

The below council formal written submissions received at the end of this eight-week period have been proactively released by the Department of Internal Affairs. Many of these submissions are also available on individual council websites.

Ashburton District Council [PDF, 1.6MB]
Auckland Council [PDF, 13MB]
Buller District Council [PDF, 854KB]
Carterton District Council [PDF, 923KB]
Central Hawkes Bay District Council [PDF, 1.4MB]
Central Otago District Council [PDF, 763KB]
Christchurch City Council [PDF, 12MB]
Clutha District Council [PDF, 4MB]
Dunedin City Council [PDF, 1MB]
Far North District Council [PDF, 1MB]
Gisborne District Council [PDF, 3.5MB]
Gore District Council [PDF, 2.6MB]
Greater Wellington Regional Council [PDF, 1MB]
Grey District Council [PDF, 869KB]
Hamilton City Council [PDF, 1.7MB]
Hastings District Council [PDF, 1.5MB]
Hauraki District Council [PDF, 967KB]
Horowhenua District Council [PDF, 1MB]
Hurunui District Council [PDF, 786KB]
Hutt city Council [PDF, 18.6KB]
Invercargill District Council [PDF, 2MB]
Kaikoura District Council [PDF, 883KB]
Kaipara District Council [PDF, 928KB]
Kapiti Coast District Council [PDF, 790KB]
Kawerau District Council [PDF, 2MB]
Mackenzie District Council [PDF, 2MB]
Manawatu District Council [PDF, 667KB]
Marlborough District Council [PDF, 3.6MB]
Masterton District Council [PDF, 690KB]
Matamata Piako District Council [PDF, 2MB]
Napier City Council [PDF, 1MB]
Nelson City Council [PDF, 1MB]
New Plymouth District Council [PDF, 3MB]
Opotiki District Council [PDF, 1MB]
Otorohanga District Council [PDF, 3MB]
Palmerston North City Council [PDF, 1MB]
Queenstown Lakes District Council [PDF, 1MB]
Rangitikei District Council [PDF, 861KB]
Rotorua Lakes District Council [PDF, 1MB]
Ruapehu District Council [PDF, 3MB]
Selwyn District Council [PDF, 3KB]
South Taranaki District Council [PDF, 1MB]
South Waikato District Council [PDF, 6MB]
South Wairarapa District Council [PDF, 874KB]
Stratford District Council [PDF, 1MB]
Tararua District Council [PDF, 11MB]
Tasman District Council [PDF, 1MB]
Taupo District Council [PDF, 914KB]
Tauranga City Council [PDF, 925KB]
Thames Coromandel District Council [PDF, 764KB]
Timaru District Council [PDF, 3.5MB]
Upper Hutt City Council [PDF, 871KB]
Waikato District Council [PDF, 777KB]
Waimakirikiri District Council [PDF, 3MB]
Waimate District Council [PDF, 998KB]
Waipa District Council [PDF, 962KB]
Wairoa District Council [PDF, 18MB]
Waitaki District Council [PDF, 809KB]
Wellington City Council [PDF, 1MB]
Western Bay of Plenty District Council [PDF, 2MB]
Westland District Council [PDF, 2MB]
Whakatane District Council [PDF, 8MB]
Whanganui District Council [PDF, 691MB]
Whangarei District Council [PDF, 698KB]

Other Submissions

Canterbury Mayoral Forum [PDF, 1MB]
Entity B Working Group [PDF, 2MB]
Hawkes Bay Mayors and Chairs [PDF, 2MB]
Independent Maori Statutory Board [PDF, 836KB]
Mayors and Chairs of Zone 6 [PDF, 769KB]
Mayors and Chief Executives in Entity C [PDF, 1.5MB]
Mayors of Zone One [PDF, 733KB]
Waitemata Local Board [PDF, 900KB]
Wellington Water Committee [PDF, 1MB] 

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Letters to councils

(published May 2022)

Ashburton District Council letter [PDF, 780KB]
Auckland Council letter [PDF, 559KB]
Buller District Council letter [PDF, 874KB]
Carterton District Council letter [PDF, 760KB]
Central Hawke's Bay District Council letter [PDF, 828KB]
Central Otago District Council letter [PDF, 817KB]
Christchurch City Council letter [PDF, 767KB]
Clutha District Council letter [PDF, 558KB]
Dunedin City Council letter [PDF, 486KB]
Far North District Council letter [PDF, 486KB]
Gisborne District Council letter [PDF, 712KB]
Gore District Council letter [PDF, 486KB]
Greater Wellington Regional Council letter [PDF, 694KB]
Grey District Council letter [PDF, 695KB]
Hamilton City Council letter [PDF, 682KB]
Hastings District Council letter [PDF, 791KB]
Hauraki District Council letter [PDF, 721KB]
Horowhenua District Council letter [PDF, 692KB]
Hurunui District Council letter [PDF, 489KB]
Hutt City Council letter [PDF, 487KB]
Invercargill City Council letter [PDF, 722KB]
Kaikoura District Council letter [PDF, 729KB]
Kaipara District Council letter [PDF, 691KB]
Kapiti Coast District Council letter [PDF, 805KB]
Kawerau District Council letter [PDF, 486KB]
Mackenzie District Council letter [PDF, 767KB]
Manawatu District Council letter [PDF, 679KB]
Marlborough District Council letter [PDF, 743KB]
Masterton District Council letter [PDF, 721KB]
Matamata-Piako District Council letter [PDF, 487KB]
Napier City Council Council letter [PDF, 485KB]
Nelson City Council letter [PDF, 763KB]
New Plymouth District Council letter [PDF, 485KB]
Otorohanga District Council letter [PDF, 245KB]
Palmerston North City Council letter [PDF, 729KB]
Porirua City Council letter [PDF, 730KB]
Queenstown Lakes District Council letter [PDF, 763KB]
Rangitikei District Council letter [PDF, 485KB]
Rotorua Lakes District Council letter [PDF, 773KB]
Ruapehu District Council letter [PDF, 705KB]
Selwyn District Council letter [PDF, 854KB]
South Taranaki District Council letter [PDF, 688KB]
South Waikato District Council letter [PDF, 194KB]
South Wairarapa District Council letter [PDF, 775KB]
Southland District Council letter [PDF, 682KB]
Stratford District Council letter [PDF, 485KB]
Tararua District Council letter [PDF, 717KB]
Tasman District Council letter [PDF, 486KB]
Taupo District Council letter [PDF, 485KB]
Tauranga City Council letter [PDF, 685KB]
Thames Coromandel District Council letter [PDF, 194KB]
Timaru District Council letter [PDF, 708KB]
Upper Hutt City Council letter [PDF, 194KB]
Waikato District Council letter [PDF, 703KB]
Waimakariri District Council letter [PDF, 715KB]
Waimate District Council letter [PDF, 679KB]
Waipa District Council letter [PDF, 692KB]
Wairoa District Council letter [PDF, 242KB]
Waitaki District Council letter [PDF, 727KB]
Wellington City Council letter [PDF, 194KB]
Western Bay of Plenty District Council letter [PDF, 678KB]
Westland District Council letter [PDF, 193KB]
Whakatane District Council letter [PDF, 714KB]
Whanganui District Council letter [PDF, 724KB]
Whangarei District Council letter [PDF, 485KB]

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