Significant change is coming for councils across New Zealand, as the Government has announced its requirements to simplify local government (regional, city and district councils) by October 2028.
The starting point for the Government’s reform is creating a single unitary authority for Otago. This would combine all the councils into one.
The Government has also said it will consider more than one unitary authority in a region where the region is large and has more complex issues.
Now is an opportunity for you to get involved and have an early say on what is most important to you.
The results of this survey will be shared with councils so your elected representatives can see what is important for you and your community.
Otago’s mayors and councils want to know your views as they embark on this significant process.
The Otago Mayoral Forum is the key mechanism for local authorities to communicate, coordinate and collaborate in the Otago region. Protocols for this purpose in each region are a requirement of the Local Government Act 2002.
The Forum enables Otago’s Mayors and the Chair of the Otago Regional Council to work together for the benefit of Otago. It meets quarterly to identify shared issues and opportunities, develop collaborative approaches, and review progress and achievements.
The Forum also provides a shared voice to advocate for Otago outside of the region, including with central government.
Sometimes this voice will present an agreed position, and at other times convey the different interests and viewpoints of the Forum’s members.
It’s important to know that decisions of the Forum are not binding on member councils. Forum members may choose to refer regional issues and decisions to their councils for consideration.
The Otago Local Authorities’ Triennial Agreement 2026-29 was ratified in February 2026, and formalises the Forum's role within Otago's cross-council partnership framework.
The Forum’s members are the region’s five Mayors and the Chair of the Otago Regional Council. Local authority chief executives attend Mayoral Forum meetings to support their Mayor/Chair and to assist the Forum to take forward its decisions and directions.
The Forum is supported by a permanent secretariat hosted by Otago Regional Council. The secretariat also manages and advises the Otago Chief Executives Forum, which meets two to four weeks prior to each Mayoral Forum.
Where relevant, cross-council working groups may be set up under the umbrella of the Forum to progress an issue or opportunity, or simply to share information across Otago’s local authorities.
Latest Updates
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Media release
26 May 2026
Otago residents will get the opportunity to share their views on local government reform as councils work collaboratively on what this could look like for the region in the future.
Meeting
22 May 2026
At its May meeting in Queenstown, the Otago Mayoral Forum committed to a collaborative approach to understanding the options for local government reorganisation in Otago. Members also agreed to develop a coordinated Otago economic narrative and endorsed an approach to regional spatial planning.
Meeting
06 March 2026
At its March meeting, the Otago Mayoral Forum discussed and confirmed five regional focus areas. Members also considered areas of alignment in response to the Government’s Simplifying Local Government proposals. Those present signed the Otago Local Authorities Triennial Agreement 2026-29, which has been approved by all Otago Councils.
