Amalgamation talks resurface

Nick would prefer amalgamation over the establishment of a regional council above the two existing council as that “just adds another level of bureaucracy and cost”.

Amalgamation was last brought to the table in 2012, with almost 57 per cent, or 10,276, of Nelson voters supporting the proposal. However, an overwhelming 16,532 – 74 per cent – of Tasman voters rejected the idea in a poll. Nick suggests that resounding rejection from Tasman was in part due to the amalgamation being framed as a “Nelson takeover”.

“I’m keen to learn from that history and ensure that any discussion going forward is as inclusive and cooperative with Tasman as possible,” he says. “There are so many areas covering transport, planning, economic development, tourism, and arts where we could do so much better with a single, united council.”

He cites both the Three Waters and Resource Management Act reforms, which he thinks will result in “massive internal change” for both the Nelson and Tasman councils, affecting the viability of their current structures, and could potentially provide an opportunity for amalgamation.

“I do not subscribe to the view that big is necessarily better, but I do have a strong view that councils do best when they match up with communities of interest” he says. “The Nelson and Tasman communities and economies are just so integrated that it makes sense for us to explore a single council.”

Nelson City Council co-operates with Tasman in many areas, including pest management, public transport, future development, and soon, resource management. They also jointly own the Saxton

Field complex, and both councils are joint stakeholders in regional assets like the port, airport, and Provincial Museum.

“I dislike the way that New Zealand has become increasingly divided in recent years, between country and town, and believe we’re much stronger together,” Nick says.

“I can only see benefits in bringing together the natural treasures, like the Abel Tasman, with the iconic institutions of Nelson, like the Suter and Cawthron, that combined would make our region the best little corner of New Zealand.”

Tasman’s acting mayor, Stuart Bryant, agrees that Government reforms are leading the region “down the path” of amalgamation and that the topic should be considered again.