Waitaki approves joint Head Start proposal

Published on 08 August 2026

August again marks a significant moment of change for the Waitaki District Council with its unanimous decision to submit a Head Start proposal for a Unitary Authority with its northern neighbours. On the same month in 1866, 160 years ago, the Oamaru Borough Council met for the first time.

The community’s strong focus on protecting the Waitaki River is at the heart of Waitaki District Council’s approach to the district’s future and its decision to put forward an amalgamation proposal with its northern neighbours, as agreed unanimously at today’s extraordinary Council meeting.

Council approved submitting a Head Start Proposal including Waitaki, Waimate, Mackenzie, Timaru and Ashburton. It also set an off-ramp clause for any Council to enact before the detailed design proposal is agreed, noting that Ashburton had not resolved to join the Head Start pathway earlier this week.

All councillors believed moving into the Head Start programme was the best option for the district and its communities, but attention would need to be given to the detailed design of the final proposal.

"If we don't move into Head Start or our option isn't acceptable, then we fall into the Back Stop process where we go on the menu," Councillor John McCone said. "The Northern option is best for us. None of the other options are palatable to me."

Mayor Mel Tavendale said, “By submitting a proposal after hearing from our community, we ensure that our future is led by our community’s voice and their elected representatives.”

“The strongest messages were to protect the Waitaki River catchment, retain rural and small-town identity, keep services affordable, maintain local voice, and avoid being swallowed by a large metropolitan authority.”

“Today is not a final decision, but another step in the amalgamation journey”

“If our Head Start joint-proposal is approved, we will continue to consult with our community as we enter the design stage – and be able to provide them with some of the detail we could not due to the Government’s three-month deadline.”

Waitaki District Council’s CEO Alex Parmley thanked the community for the direction they had provided, and staff and councillors for their work on getting the proposal over the line.

“I especially want to thank our community members who took part in our surveys and came to our community meetings despite the compressed timeframe for the engagement. The guidance you gave on the direction we should take was invaluable.”

In May, the Government set all Councils in New Zealand (except Auckland) a 3-month deadline to make an amalgamation proposal under the Head Start pathway or be placed in a government-led backstop process.

Waitaki District Council entered discussions with Otago and Canterbury Councils, conducted two separate surveys receiving over 600 responses and held four public meetings about amalgamation in May and June.

The proposal will now be submitted to Government and reviewed by the Government’s Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT) – with the final decision resting with Cabinet.

It is expected that Cabinet will approve or reject proposals by the end of September 2026, with more detailed plans to be submitted in early 2027.

ENDS

media@waitaki.govt.nz