22/05/2026
đłď¸ Amalgamation has been back in the news this week â and Iâve had a few questions about my view. I was one of the ânoâ responses â so I want to share the reasoning behind that.
For me, it comes down to whatâs practical, whatâs affordable, and whatâs supported by evidence.
Nelson and Tasman are both unitary councils, which means we already combine regional and local functions. The Governmentâs current reform focus is on regions where those functions are split â not on councils like ours. Thereâs no national driver for amalgamation here.
A merger also isnât the simple costâsaving solution people sometimes imagine. Experience from other parts of the country shows that large structural changes can:
⢠cost more than expected
⢠take years to settle
⢠create uncertainty for staff & communities
⢠distract from the dayâtoâday services people rely on
Where we can make real gains is through targeted collaboration â strengthening shared services, reducing duplication, and improving customer experience across both councils. Nelson and Tasman already work together in a number of areas, and thereâs room to build on that without losing local accountability.
For me, thatâs the balanced, practical path forward.
If youâd like to chat more about this â or anything else on your mind â Iâm at my:
â Monday Stoke dropâin
đ Squires CafĂŠ
đ 1 pm â 3.30 pm
Always happy to listen đ
