Removing Regional Councillors? A Major Governance Shift Announced

On 25 November 2025, the Government released a draft proposal for public consultation that could reshape local governance across New Zealand. The most significant change? Regional councillors would be replaced by a new governing body – a Combined Territories Board (CTB) made up of the City and District’s Mayors.

The Government’s intention is to create a system that is simpler, clearer, and more cost-effective, while improving coordination and accountability across regions. This proposal sets out a framework for how councils will work together in the future.

The Two-Step Proposal

Step One: Combined Territories Boards

Regional councillors would be removed. Instead, Mayors from each territorial authority would form a Combined Territories Board (CTB) to govern regional functions. These boards would assume responsibilities currently managed by regional councils, including:

• Environmental regulation and resource management
• Regional transport planning
• Civil defence and emergency management
• Treaty settlement commitments

It is important to note that this affects the elected Councillors of Regional Councils. The proposal is not to affect the Officers, or the existence of Regional Councils.

The Government is also considering alternative options, such as appointing Crown Commissioners to the CTB with varying levels of authority—or replacing regional councillors entirely with Crown Commissioners in the short term.

Step Two: Regional Reorganisation Plans

Within two years of establishment, each CTB must prepare a regional reorganisation plan. These plans are required to:

• Map current council functions and identify duplication
• Propose future delivery models (shared services, joint council-controlled organisations, or amalgamations)
• Include mandatory public consultation
• Meet statutory criteria for Ministerial approval, including efficiency, representation, and Treaty compliance

Governance and Representation

Voting power on CTBs will need to be determined. This is proposed to be either based on population, potentially “adjusted” to ensure smaller communities retain effective representation. The alternative is each Mayor has one equal vote.

For Māori representation, existing Treaty settlement obligations and engagement processes will continue. However, regional Māori constituencies are proposed to be removed.

Legal and Practical Considerations

• Statutory Compliance: CTBs will inherit obligations under the Local Government Act 2002 and Resource Management Act 1991 (until replaced).
• Treaty Commitments: All Treaty settlement arrangements administered by regional councils will carry over to CTBs.
• Ministerial Oversight: Regional reorganisation plans require approval by the Minister of Local Government, informed by independent advice from the Local Government Commission.

Councils should anticipate transitional challenges, including remuneration adjustments, committee structures, and integration of staff and systems.

Stakeholder Impacts: Risks and Opportunities

Risks:

• There is the potential for reduced regional voice if representation weighting is not balanced
• We suspect there will be complexity during transition and compliance uncertainty
• There are potential delays in regional planning during structural change

Opportunities:

• This is intended to create greater efficiency through shared services and reduced duplication. This will take time
• Clearer accountability and streamlined decision-making
• Ability to design region-specific governance models under reorganisation plans

Key Considerations for Stakeholders

• Councils: There are clear changes signalled for governance structures, service delivery models, and financial planning. The responsibilities for the Mayors are expected to be demanding.
• Iwi and Māori Entities: Ensure Treaty obligations and engagement processes are maintained and strengthened in regional plans.
• Communities: Understand how representation will change and participate in consultation processes.

Next Steps

Public submissions are open until 20 February 2026. Submissions can be made online at:
consultations.digital.govt.nz/simplifying-local-government/proposal.

Want to know more?

If you have any questions about this proposal, please contact our specialist Local Government team