Who's merging with who? Councils reveal their amalgamation picks

The future of local government is now in central government's hands, after a last-minute scramble to lodge merger deals before Sunday's deadline.

In May, the Government gave councils three months to come up with proposals on how leadership in their regions should be reshaped into unitary councils, with the abolition of regional councils. "Lead your own reform or we will do it for you," was the call from RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop.

Some regions reached an agreement early and easily. Others spent the final days trading blueprints, rejecting neighbours, and in some cases voting down every option on the table.

By the August 9 cutoff, the country's local government map had been redrawn in a dozen different ways, some regions united, others deeply split, and a handful of councils refusing to move at all.

Here's where every region has landed.

Northland councils have landed on competing blueprints for the region's future. Whangārei and the Far North have backed a staged path towards a single unitary authority for north of the Brynderwyns, beginning with two authorities before eventually merging into one. Kaipara rejected that approach, instead proposing three standalone unitary councils.

Hamilton has walked away from the Government's Head Start process, breaking from a region where neighbouring councils are pressing ahead. The city voted 12-3 against submitting a proposal, saying there had not been enough time for financial analysis or community consultation.

Around it, Waikato's other councils are forging ahead: Waipā, Waikato and South Waikato have put forward a Western Waikato proposal — with Taupō included against its wishes. Elsewhere, Hauraki, Matamata-Piako and Thames-Coromandel have backed a Waihou–Piako–Coromandel model, and Ōtorohanga and Waitomo are pursuing a King Country authority.

Bay of Plenty councils are carving the region into three different futures, despite one council opting out of the process altogether.

Tauranga City is pressing ahead with a proposal for a Western Bay authority covering Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty, even though Western Bay itself rejected the partnership and chose the Backstop process instead.

Further east, Kawerau, Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki have united behind an Eastern Bay of Plenty authority. Rotorua Lakes, meant to complete the region's three-way split as its own central authority, has instead voted down both submitting a joint Head Start proposal with Tauranga and accepting the Backstop process, leaving the council without a settled position as the deadline arrives.

Most of Hawke's Bay is lining up behind a single council, but Wairoa wants no part of it.

Hastings, Napier and Central Hawke's Bay have backed a joint proposal to combine into a single Hawke's Bay authority, taking on both local and regional responsibilities. Wairoa has opted out, choosing instead to investigate going it alone as its own standalone authority, arguing its future should be decided locally rather than folded into a bigger structure. The regional proposal leaves the door open for Wairoa to join later if it changes its mind.

Taranaki looks to be settling on two councils rather than one big regional authority, though New Plymouth isn't quite ready to commit yet.

South Taranaki and Stratford have agreed to merge into a single authority, while New Plymouth is taking things more slowly. Rather than backing a full proposal, it's signed up to a joint "Pathfinder" plan with Taranaki Regional Council, buying more time to talk to communities and iwi before deciding what it wants.

Manawatū-Whanganui's councils are formalising their go-slow approach to reform, signing a joint agreement to build a shared evidence base rather than rushing into merger proposals ahead of the Government's deadline.

Rangitīkei, Tararua, Manawatū, Ruapehu and Whanganui have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together on testing regional options, with Horizons Regional Council backing the move. None of the five have opted to submit a Head Start proposal, and the agreement doesn't commit any of them to a particular model, it's designed to keep options open while they gather more evidence. Palmerston North and Horowhenua, meanwhile, are writing jointly to Local Government Minister Simon Watts to signal their interest in exploring a future unitary council together, while also asking for more time. The door remains open for them, or any other council in the region, to join the wider five-council agreement later.

Wellington and Wairarapa are heading into the deadline with two rival proposals rather than one unified regional plan, and Kāpiti Coast is refusing to go along with either.

Wellington City, Hutt City, Porirua City and South Wairarapa have thrown their support behind a region-wide unitary authority, while Carterton and Masterton have chosen instead to back a standalone Wairarapa proposal. Upper Hutt has opted out of the process altogether, citing concerns over rates and local representation, while Kāpiti Coast has pushed for the regional proposal to include a separate sub-regional authority for Kāpiti rather than folding it into either plan. The region's Mayoral Forum acknowledged the split, saying the differing views will be reflected in what's submitted to the Government.

It also said the Government would be asked to keep the door open for alternative arrangements involving Kāpiti Coast and Upper Hutt.

Nelson and Tasman look set to stay separate, with Tasman rebuffing Nelson's push for a merger just days before the Head Start deadline, though strictly speaking, neither council was part of the process to begin with, since both are already standalone unitary authorities.

The West Coast's bid for a single unitary authority is heading to the Government despite Buller refusing to come on board.

Grey and Westland district councils have unanimously backed the proposal, but Buller councillors voted against it, with only the mayor and deputy mayor in support. The proposal can still proceed because the Head Start process requires majority support across the affected councils rather than unanimous agreement.

Kaikōura has thrown its support behind Marlborough, choosing to merge north rather than join a proposed North Canterbury council. The plan would see the two districts combine into a single unitary authority from 2028 while retaining a dedicated Kaikōura ward and local service centre.

Canterbury has emerged as one of the country's most fragmented regions, with multiple competing visions for local government now taking shape.

Christchurch City Council wants to become a standalone unitary authority by absorbing Environment Canterbury's functions, after rejecting a larger Greater Christchurch model. Selwyn also backed staying on its own, while Waimakariri and Hurunui are pairing up on a North Canterbury proposal. Further south, Waitaki has voted to go north instead of joining Otago, backing a joint proposal with Timaru, Mackenzie, Waimate and Ashburton, even though Ashburton has chosen not to submit an outline proposal. It formally told the Government that 90 days wasn't enough time to reach consensus, while making clear it still wants to help shape a Mid Canterbury solution and won't accept being folded into another council's proposal without its agreement.

Otago's councils are split over which twin-authority model to pursue, after Queenstown Lakes chose a new partner and left its original merger partners going it alone.

Central Otago and Clutha had been developing a three-way proposal with Queenstown Lakes that would have kept Dunedin out of the picture entirely, built around a shared "mountains to the sea" catchment along the Clutha/Mata-Au River.

But Queenstown Lakes ultimately walked away from that arrangement, opting instead to work with Dunedin City Council on a different two-council split: an Inland Otago authority combining Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago, and a Coastal Otago authority bringing together Dunedin and Clutha. Central Otago and Clutha say they're disappointed by the switch but are pressing ahead with their own proposal regardless.

Southland is running two rival Head Start bids at once, and Gore has ended up formally attached to both. Southland District Council has voted to submit a joint two-council proposal with Gore, which would combine into a rural unitary authority while Invercargill City Council remains separate.

Invercargill, meanwhile, is pushing a rival single Southland-wide unitary authority, and says it also has Gore's backing, along with input from Environment Southland and Ngāi Tahu ki Murihiku. A separate Local Government Commission review is testing the same two options in parallel.

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Cabinet is expected to decide by the end of September which proposals will progress to detailed design, with successful models refined through to March 2027 and final sign-off by May.

Councils that missed Sunday's deadline, or whose proposals aren't accepted, face the Government-led Backstop process instead, with new structures due to be in place before the October 2028 local elections.