The very public “secret” amalgamation update

Published on 22 July 2026

Psst! This is the kind of secret that comes with agendas, minutes, website updates, and, presumably, several calendar invites.

On Friday 3 July 2026, Waitaki Mayor Mel Tavendale attended and chaired an Otago Mayoral Forum meeting and on 6 July a Canterbury Mayoral Forum meeting - because Waitaki has the rare honour of keeping a foot in both regional camps as we work towards our submission for the Government’s Local Government Reforms - Simplifying Local Government. These were some of many meetings held between Mayors to discuss how to respond to the Government’s amalgamation proposals.

There were no decisions made at these meetings, because decisions on these matters can only be made by individual councils. Meetings of Mayors have no power to make decisions that affect individual councils.

Rather than believing this is covert, communities should be more concerned if Mayors were not talking together about the biggest shake-up of local government since 1989. That would be like ignoring the elephant in the council chamber.

These supposedly "shadowy" meetings were held in such deep secrecy that both forums published reports about them on their websites.

Otago Mayoral Forum meeting, OMF July 2026 - Otago Mayoral Forum, which was followed by a Councillor Briefing, HFO July 2026 - Otago Mayoral Forum.

Canterbury Mayoral Forum report: Head Start proposal for the whole region - Canterbury Mayoral Forum.

Given that, the forums may need a refresher on “secret”, seeing as Otago published detailed slides from its hui and Canterbury shared an update from its forum chair. (Both Mayoral Forums share an update on their website after every meeting to inform people as to what the Mayors are working on and discussing together).

Anyone who has tried to organise a regular meeting knows the drill: calendar invites, schedule clashes, apologies, agendas, minutes and then, for maximum secrecy, a public update.

Behind the humour, the substance is straightforward: Mayors from both regions meet regularly to discuss shared challenges, common interests, and the development of proposals.

On Tuesday 7 July 2026, Waitaki District Council voted to form a Head Start proposal with Waimate, Mackenzie and Timaru, with Ashburton, Clutha and Central Otago as possible participants. This followed two surveys open to all Waitaki residents, drawing nearly 700 submissions, as well as four public meetings held around the District in June and July, at which Mayor Mel talked about the meetings she was having with Mayors in Otago and Canterbury.

On Tuesday 20 July 2026, Waimate voted to discuss a Head Start proposal with Waitaki, Mackenzie, and Timaru, while leaving the door open for Ashburton if it decides to join the proposal.

In short: there is discussion, there is process; there is public information - and there is absolutely no need to whisper, unless you are doing it for dramatic effect.

Council will continue to update the community on the progress of the Head Start proposal as it progresses.

Just a reminder, Central Government has given Local Government until Sunday 9 August 2026, to put forward a proposal for their head start option. If we don't we fall into the back stop programme and the Government decides our future for us.

ENDS

media@waitaki.govt.nz