Stratford stays steady as Government pauses reform decisions
Stratford District Council says it is business as usual for Stratford ratepayers after the Government confirmed today that Cabinet will not make decisions on individual Head Start proposals until after the general election.
In a letter to mayors and chief executives, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop said officials from the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport will now work with councils, iwi and hapū to resolve common design issues before any reform decisions are made.
Stratford District Council (SDC) and South Taranaki District Council (STDC) submitted a joint outline proposal on 7 August for two unitary councils covering Taranaki. Stratford's position was shaped by 633 responses to its community survey and a public forum, with 83% of respondents supporting a two-council model for the region.
Stratford District Mayor Neil Volzke says Council went into the process with its eyes open.
"The timeframe was tight and the outcome was never certain, so we made a deliberate choice to keep costs down, use the channels we already have to hear from our community, and let that feedback drive our position. Our community told us clearly that local voice and local decision-making matter, and that hasn't changed just because the timeline has."
"We see this as a delay rather than a change in direction. Regional councillors still won't be elected in 2028, so this conversation will come back, and when it does Stratford will be ready with a position that is grounded in what our people told us. In the meantime, we'll keep working with our neighbours South Taranaki, New Plymouth and Taranaki Regional Council, because good regional relationships will matter whatever the final shape of local government."
Stratford District Council Chief Executive Sven Hanne says staff have kept their focus on the community throughout.
"For our team it has been business as usual the whole way through. Reform work sat alongside the day job rather than in place of it, and the roads, water, parks, library and pool our residents rely on haven't missed a beat. Our mission is the same as it has always been, which is to deliver the best service and best experience for our ratepayers, and that is exactly where our focus stays."
Council took a deliberate, cost-conscious approach to the Head Start process, with a total spend of approximately $20,000. The work was largely carried out by existing staff alongside their usual roles, with a shared specialist consultant between SDC and STDC.
There are no changes to services, rates, representation or staffing as a result of today's announcement. Residents can follow updates at yoursay.stratford.govt.nz/simplifying-local-government.
