Mayor: Let's hear community's views on amalgamation
The council will ask for the community’s views on possible local authority amalgamation for the Wellington region, says Mayor Ray Wallace.
“We are elected representatives and take our mandate from those who elected us. We have decided to actively engage with our community to seek their views on whether they wish us to amalgamate into a super-city or choose some other structure. The people’s voice is important and should be heard
“Hutt City is well placed to match government expectations under proposed legislative changes to the Local Government Act 2002. We are the only local authority in New Zealand to receive a gold award for business excellence. We have one of the lowest debt levels in New Zealand and our rate forecast is also very low.
“Many of the changes proposed by central government on fiscal responsibility and debt management will not impact on Hutt City as we already have them under control. We acknowledge there will be some change that will affect us, and delivering the right structure to expand our city and our region through collaborative governance is important.
“But in my many meetings around the city, ranging across all sectors of the community, I sense no push to create a super-city.”