Upper Hutt City Council supports the Government’s decision today to defer next steps for local government reform in the short term.

Head Start was the Government’s pathway for councils to work together to develop and submit their own high-level proposal for local government reform. The process required councils to work to extremely tight timeframes amid significant uncertainty.

“The Government’s decision is a welcome reprieve for Upper Hutt City Council and we can now concentrate on our very busy work programme, including planning for our next Long Term Plan 2027 – 2037,“ says Mayor Zee.

“We also have a substantial amount of work that needs to be done as the result of other Government reform.”

Upper Hutt’s decision in August not to be part of the region’s Head Start proposal was not about opposing local government reform, instead it was about favouring a more considered and robust process to assess the costs, benefits and risks for our communities’ best interests,” says Mayor Zee.

“Council’s biggest concerns were protecting Upper Hutt’s local voice and affordability for the community.”

Mayor Zee says Upper Hutt City Council will continue to engage constructively with both the other councils in the region and the Government’s reform post the general election.

“This is unlikely to be the end of reform discussions but it gives opportunity to begin a more collaborative process that includes community involvement. I particularly want to thank our local community for their support and patience to date.”

Source: Upper Hutt City Council

24/09/26