Territorial authorities of New Zealand


The territorial authorities of New Zealand form the country's municipal-level of local government, existing alongside the country's regional councils. There are 67 such authorities, including 12 city councils, 53 district councils and 2 sui generis councils. Five territorial authorities also have the powers of regional councils, and these are called unitary authorities.
Territorial authorities are not subservient to regional councils, and several of them have jurisdictions overlapping multiple regional council areas. Territorial authorities are responsible for the administration of local matters and resources. These include roads, building consents, water supply and sanitation, amongst other responsibilities. They are not responsible for broader regional environmental management or public transport, as those are the responsibilities of the regional councils.

History

In 1840 the Colonial Office was given the authority to divide New Zealand into counties, hundreds, towns, townships, and parishes. These divisions were to be of set sizes but this was rarely implemented.

1989 local government reforms

For many decades until the local government reforms of 1989, a borough with more than 20,000 people could be proclaimed a city. The boundaries of councils tended to follow the edge of the built-up area, so little distinction was made between the urban area and the local government area.
New Zealand's local government structural arrangements were significantly reformed by the Local Government Commission in 1989 when approximately 700 councils and special purpose bodies were amalgamated to create 87 new local authorities. Regional councils were reduced in number from 20 to 13, territorial authorities from 200 to 75, and special purpose bodies from over 400 to 7. The new district and city councils were generally much larger and most covered substantial areas of both urban and rural land. Many places that once had a city council were now being administered by a district council.
As a result, the term "city" began to take on two meanings.
City also came to be used in a less formal sense to describe major urban areas independent of local body boundaries. This informal usage is jealously guarded. Gisborne, for example, adamantly described itself as the first city in the world to see the new millennium. Gisborne is administered by a district council, but its status as a city is not generally disputed.
Under current law, an urban area has to be at least 50,000 residents before it can be officially proclaimed as a city.

Changes since 1989

Since the 1989 reorganisations, there have been few major reorganisations or status changes in local government. Incomplete list:
Reports on completed reorganisation proposals since 1999 are available on the Local Government Commission's site.

2007–2009 Royal Commission on Auckland Governance

On 26 March 2009, the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance recommended the Rodney, North Shore, Waitakere, Auckland City, Manukau, Papakura and Franklin territorial councils and the Auckland Regional Council be abolished and the entire Auckland region to be amalgamated into one "supercity". The area would consist of one city council, four urban local councils, and two rural local councils:
  • Rodney local council would lose Orewa, Dairy Flat, and Whangaparaoa but retain the remainder of the current Rodney District. The split areas as well as the current North Shore City would form a Waitemata local council.
  • Waitakere local council would consist of the current Waitakere City as well as the Avondale area.
  • Tamaki Makaurau would consist of the current Auckland City and Otahuhu
  • Manukau local council would consist of the urban parts of the current Manukau City and of the Papakura District.
  • Hunua local council would consist of the entire Franklin District, much of which is currently in the Waikato Region, along with rural areas of the current Papakura District and Manukau City.
  • The entire Papakura District would be dissolved between urban and rural councils.
The National-led Government responded within about a week. Its plan, which went to a Select Committee, accepted the proposal for supercity and many community boards, but rejected proposals for local councils and, initially, no separate seats for Māori.
Public reaction to the Royal Commission report was mixed, especially in regards to the Government's amended proposal. Auckland Mayor John Banks supported the amended merger plans.
Criticism of the amended proposal came largely from residents in Manukau, Waitakere and North Shore Cities. In addition, Māori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples spoke against the exclusion of the Māori seats, as recommended by the Royal Commission. Opposition Leader Phil Goff called for a referendum on the issue.

Creation of Auckland Council

was created on 1 November 2010—a unitary authority that is classed as both a region and a territorial authority. It incorporated the recommendations of the Royal Commission and was established via legislation. Auckland Council is uniquely divided into "local boards" representing the lowest tier of local government.

Failed proposed changes

  • 2015: Proposals to amalgamate local councils in Wellington and Northland were accepted by the Local Government Commission for consideration, although following consultation they ultimately were not formed into a final proposal. The status quo remains.
  • 2015: Amalgamation of four local councils and the regional council in Hawke's Bay was proposed by the Local Government Commission. A district wide referendum was held in Sep-2015, and the proposal was defeated by 66% of voters.
  • 2015: The Local Government Commission received a proposal to review local government arrangements on the West Coast. In August 2016 the Commission decided to progress the application. The Commission then invited alternative applications to the original application. The Commission's call for alternative reorganisation applications or other proposals for change to West Coast local government arrangements closed on 15 March 2017. The Commission received 23 responses, 19 of which made specific proposals for change. In December 2017 the Local Government Commission determined its preferred option for local government reorganisation on the West Coast to be the transfer of district plan preparation from the Buller, Grey and Westland district councils to the West Coast Regional Council.
  • 2017: The Local Government Commission received a proposal to amalgamate the Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa District Councils into a combined Wairarapa District Council. The proposal was defeated by referendum with 59% of voters rejecting the proposed merger.

    List of territorial authorities

Current

There are currently 67 territorial authorities. Before the Auckland Council "super merge" in November 2010, there were 73 territorial authorities. Before the Banks Peninsula District Council merged with the Christchurch City Council in 2006, there were 74 territorial authorities.
CoATerritoryAuthoritySeatArea Region
LinkFar NorthDistrict CouncilKaikoheNorthland
LinkWhangāreiDistrict CouncilWhangāreiNorthland
-KaiparaDistrict CouncilDargavilleNorthland
-AucklandCouncilAucklandAuckland
-Thames-CoromandelDistrict CouncilThamesWaikato
-HaurakiDistrict CouncilPaeroaWaikato
-WaikatoDistrict CouncilNgāruawāhiaWaikato
-Matamata-PiakoDistrict CouncilTe ArohaWaikato
HamiltonCity CouncilHamiltonWaikato
-WaipāDistrict CouncilTe AwamutuWaikato
-ŌtorohangaDistrict CouncilŌtorohangaWaikato
-South WaikatoDistrict CouncilTokoroaWaikato
-WaitomoDistrict CouncilTe KūitiWaikato
Manawatū-Whanganui
-TaupōDistrict CouncilTaupōWaikato
Bay of Plenty
Hawke's Bay
Manawatū-Whanganui
-Western Bay of PlentyDistrict CouncilGreertonBay of Plenty
-TaurangaCity CouncilTaurangaBay of Plenty
RotoruaDistrict CouncilRotoruaBay of Plenty
Waikato
-WhakatāneDistrict CouncilWhakatāneBay of Plenty
-KawerauDistrict CouncilKawerauBay of Plenty
-ŌpōtikiDistrict CouncilŌpōtikiBay of Plenty
GisborneDistrict CouncilGisborneGisborne
LinkWairoaDistrict CouncilWairoaHawke's Bay
HastingsDistrict CouncilHastingsHawke's Bay
NapierCity CouncilNapierHawke's Bay
LinkCentral Hawke's BayDistrict CouncilWaipawaHawke's Bay
-New PlymouthDistrict CouncilNew PlymouthTaranaki
-StratfordDistrict CouncilStratfordTaranaki
Manawatū-Whanganui
-South TaranakiDistrict CouncilHāweraTaranaki
-RuapehuDistrict CouncilTaumarunuiManawatū-Whanganui
WhanganuiDistrict CouncilWhanganuiManawatū-Whanganui
-RangitikeiDistrict CouncilMartonManawatū-Whanganui
Hawke's Bay
LinkManawatūDistrict CouncilFeildingManawatū-Whanganui
Palmerston NorthCity CouncilPalmerston NorthManawatū-Whanganui
-TararuaDistrict CouncilDannevirkeManawatū-Whanganui
Wellington
-HorowhenuaDistrict CouncilLevinManawatū-Whanganui
-Kāpiti CoastDistrict CouncilParaparaumuWellington
PoriruaCity CouncilPoriruaWellington
Upper HuttCity CouncilUpper HuttWellington
Lower HuttCity CouncilLower HuttWellington
WellingtonCity CouncilWellingtonWellington
LinkMastertonDistrict CouncilMastertonWellington
LinkCartertonDistrict CouncilCartertonWellington
-South WairarapaDistrict CouncilMartinboroughWellington
-TasmanDistrict CouncilRichmondTasman
NelsonCity CouncilNelsonNelson
LinkMarlboroughDistrict CouncilBlenheimMarlborough
-BullerDistrict CouncilWestportWest Coast
-GreyDistrict CouncilGreymouthWest Coast
-WestlandDistrict CouncilHokitikaWest Coast
-KaikōuraDistrict CouncilKaikōuraCanterbury
-HurunuiDistrict CouncilAmberleyCanterbury
-WaimakaririDistrict CouncilRangioraCanterbury
ChristchurchCity CouncilChristchurchCanterbury
LinkSelwynDistrict CouncilRollestonCanterbury
AshburtonDistrict CouncilAshburtonCanterbury
TimaruDistrict CouncilTimaruCanterbury
-MackenzieDistrict CouncilFairlieCanterbury
-WaimateDistrict CouncilWaimateCanterbury
-WaitakiDistrict CouncilOamaruCanterbury
Otago
-Central OtagoDistrict CouncilAlexandraOtago
LinkQueenstown-LakesDistrict CouncilQueenstownOtago
DunedinCity CouncilDunedinOtago
-CluthaDistrict CouncilBalcluthaOtago
LinkSouthlandDistrict CouncilInvercargillSouthland
-GoreDistrict CouncilGoreSouthland
InvercargillCity CouncilInvercargillSouthland
-Chatham IslandsCouncilWaitangiChatham Islands