Regional councils demise: The plans, timeline and thorny issues

Photo: RNZ / Eveline Harvey

Explainer - It's billed as the biggest shake-up to councils in 30 years, but a lot of questions about how the government's regional council "reset" will work and what will happen remain unanswered.

The government on Tuesday announced plans to replace regional councillors with boards made up of mayors and maybe some minister-appointed representatives.

The ministers argue local government has lost its social licence and change is needed - but current councillors and opposition parties are questioning whether the solution on offer is the right one.

Part of the problem, according to the government, is many people don't even know what a regional council does.

So here's what we know, and the thorny issues yet to be teased out.

Photo: Supplied / ECan

What are regional councils anyway?

New Zealand has various kinds of councils, but the main three types are:

Regional councils (11 of these in NZ)

Territorial authorities (67)

Unitary authorities (6, including Auckland)

They have different roles and responsibilities.

Regional councils look after the environmental aspects of resource management including things like: flood protection, air quality, and pest control, as well as public transport planning and funding, civil defence, and bulk water supply and treatment.

Set up under the 1989 local government reforms, they cover large regions based primarily on water catchments or drainage basins.

These regions usually include cities, towns and rural areas which are in turn managed by local councils - the "territorial authorities" which include city councils and district councils.

As an example, the Greater Wellington Regional Council handles the regional council responsibilities for the Kāpiti Coast, Porirua, Wellington City, Lower and Upper Hutt, South Wairarapa, Carterton, Masterton and part of the Tararua district - each of which have their own city or district council.

The territorial authorities are responsible for meeting residents' needs by providing services, including roads, water services, waste and recycling collection, parks and libraries, and administering public safety byla