Eastern Bay local government proposal to be considered by councils

An outline proposal setting out a case for an Eastern Bay of Plenty Unitary Council will be published today (Thursday, 30 July 2026) as part of the agenda papers for council meetings being held next week.

The proposal, developed jointly by Kawerau District Council, Whakatāne District Council, and Ōpōtiki District Council, will be considered by Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki District Councils on 4 August; and Kawerau District Council on 5 August.

The separate Council reports due for release later today and tomorrow, recommend that Councils endorse the proposal for submission to central government through the Government's Head Start pathway, part of the wider Simplifying Local Government reform programme. The proposal sets out a potential future governance model that would combine local and relevant regional council functions within a single Eastern Bay authority.

The recommendation reflects analysis undertaken by the three councils, alongside community engagement and iwi discussions, which identified an Eastern Bay-focused unitary authority as the preferred option. The proposal concludes that this model provides the best balance between maintaining local voice and representation, strengthening organisational capability and resilience, simplifying governance arrangements, and keeping decision-making closely connected to Eastern Bay communities.

The report also notes that the Eastern Bay proposal sits within a broader Bay of Plenty reform picture, with a preference emerging for a three-unitary-authority structure across the region. Under this approach, the Eastern Bay, Rotorua/Central Bay and Western Bay would each have their own unitary authority, while continuing to work together on issues of regional significance. The proposal argues this would provide a coherent regional framework while retaining strong local decision-making and community representation.

Publication of the agenda papers marks the first time the full proposal has been publicly available. Elected members will consider the report and determine next week whether the proposal should proceed to the next stage of the Head Start process.

The Ōpōtiki District Council, Ordinary Council Meeting Agenda which includes the draft proposal can be viewed here.

For more on Simplifying Local Government, including our community engagement results and the draft proposal, head to our engagement website: Hono Mai | Connect.