Councillors have directed the Clutha District Council to ask for more time in the Simplifying Local Government process.
Clutha District Mayor Jason (Jock) Martin says there’s still a lot of work ahead to determine what is best for the Clutha District.
“While we may not be ready just yet for a Head Start Proposal, we are ahead of the Back Stop, but we clearly need more runway to work through potential proposals with our neighbouring councils and the detail,” Mayor Martin says.
At a council workshop on 22 July 2026, councillors received a “Simplifying Local Government – Option Discussion” report that included advice from Morrison Low Advisory to the Otago Mayoral Forum, as well as a potential amalgamation option of an Otago Rural Unitary put forward by Mayor Martin along with other options.
“It is abundantly clear to me that one of the biggest concerns in the amalgamation is that rural voices will be lost through the creation of a single unitary authority,” he says.
His option 1 proposal will keep catchment areas aligned and capture the “mountain to the sea”, as he says, “what happens at the head of the Clutha River impacts us along with amplifying rural voices in rural Otago local government”.
Mayor Martin also sent his Rural Otago Unitary Authority structure proposals to the Otago Mayoral Forum, of which he is a member.
“Feedback I’ve received from the Otago Mayoral Forum is that they are keeping an open mind to all options.”
“As councils we will be making decisions in this Simplifying Local Government process that will have an impact for future generations. People need to take a wide-eyed approach to consider all possible options to ensure nobody is left behind.”
Councillors will meet again at an extraordinary meeting of council on 30 July 2026 to decide on the next steps to take in the reform process.
Mayor Martin’s new options include:
1: Single Unitary Council to encompass Clutha District, Central Otago District and Queenstown Lakes District; developing local/community boards.
1A: Single Unitary Council to encompass Clutha District, Central Otago District, Queenstown Lakes District, Strath Taieri, Taieri Plains and Waihemo; with councillors elected for representation.
1B: Invites Gore District in.
Notes:
To view Morrison Low Advisory information to the Otago Mayoral Forum go to Otago Mayoral Forum
To view the “Simplifying Local Government – Option Discussion” report go to Council Workshop agenda - 22 July 2026.pdf
Background:
In November 2025, the Government released a draft proposal for local government reform. All six Otago councils submitted feedback.
On 5 May 2026, the Government announced its intended policy. Two reform pathways were set out, including the Head Start for which outline proposals are due by 9 August and the Backstop pathway, which will be legislated in 2027 but does not have clear detail yet.
The starting point for the government’s reform is creating a unitary authority within Otago. 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.
On 22 May, Otago Mayoral Forum members agreed to work together on local government reform.
Working together through the Mayoral Forum does not mean a one-size-fits-all outcome. Each district has its own communities, geography and priorities, and there will be opportunities for district-level engagement alongside the regional process. The regional process is designed to generate shared analysis and options. The decisions remain with each local council.
The Otago Mayoral Forum comprises the Mayors of Waitaki District, Dunedin City, Central Otago District, Queenstown Lakes District, Clutha District and the Chair of Otago Regional Council.
