Southland Amalgamation Proposal

What Does It Means for the Gore District?

This all started in early 2025, when Southland District Council submitted a formal proposal asking the Commission to consider a new structure. Their idea was to create two new unitary authorities, one for the Invercargill area and another combining Gore District and Southland District Councils, while also taking over the responsibilities of Environment Southland (our regional council).

The Commission reviewed the request, consulted with all affected councils and iwi, and in July 2025 decided to begin an official investigation.

If you live in the Gore District, this could impact how your local services, things like roads, rubbish, water, and even environmental regulation, and how they are delivered in the future.

What did Gore District Council say in response?

In May, Chief Executive Debbie Lascelles wrote to the Commission explaining why we believe the current proposal doesn’t work for Gore.

Here’s a quick summary of the key points in her letter:

• Southland’s proposed amalgamation model is unlikely to save Gore ratepayers money. We already operate efficiently with a small team and limited infrastructure. An amalgamation on a much larger scale would be needed in order to benefit from economies of scale.
• The proposal doesn’t reflect how people use services. Many people who use Gore’s facilities live in Otago. We already collaborate with Clutha and Central Otago on water services. The proposal doesn’t account for these important cross-boundary relationships.
• It risks losing our strong local voice. Gore residents are highly engaged in local decision-making. We received over 500 submissions on our recent Long-term Plan, that’s more than 4% of our population. A bigger council may not reflect our community’s unique needs as effectively.
• It’s the wrong time. Councils across New Zealand are dealing with major reforms, especially around water services. Adding a reorganisation investigation right now would strain resources and cause confusion.

We’re not opposed to talking about change but this proposal is too small, too rushed, and doesn’t offer enough benefit for Gore ratepayers. We’ve asked the Commission to consider a broader and better-planned option in future, once reforms have settled.

👉 Click here to read the letter sent to the Local Government Commission

What Happens Next?

The Local Government Commission is now in the early stages of its investigation into the amalgamation proposal. Here’s what you can expect over the coming months:

• The Commission gathers more information - They’ll talk with councils, iwi, stakeholders, and the public to understand how local services are delivered now and what changes might mean. They’ll also consider different options, including the one proposed by Southland District Council and potentially others.
• A draft proposal is prepared (if they think change is worth exploring) - If the Commission believes reorganisation could improve local government in Southland, they’ll write up a draft proposal. This could be the model Southland District Council suggested, or something else entirely such as a single unitary authority, or no change at all.
• Public consultation begins - You’ll have a chance to have your say. If a draft proposal is released, the Commission will ask for feedback from the public. This could include surveys, meetings, written submissions, or online feedback forms.
• A final decision is made - After hearing from the public and gathering all the facts, the Commission will decide whether or not to go ahead with any changes.

👉 Click here to read the Local Government Commissions Decision on the SDC reorganisation initiative