Territorial authorities of New Zealand


Territorial authorities are the second tier of local government in New Zealand, below regional councils. There are 67 territorial authorities: 13 city councils, 53 district councils and the Chatham Islands Council. District councils serve a combination of rural and urban communities, while city councils administer the larger urban areas. Five territorial authorities also perform the functions of a regional council and thus are unitary authorities. The Chatham Islands Council is a sui generis territorial authority that is similar to a unitary authority.
Territorial authority districts are not subdivisions of regions, and some of them fall within more than one region. Regional council areas are based on water catchment areas, whereas territorial authorities are based on community of interest and road access. Regional councils are responsible for the administration of many environmental and public transport matters, while the territorial authorities administer local roading and reserves, water supply and sanitation, building consents, the land use and subdivision aspects of resource management, and other local matters. Some activities are delegated to council-controlled organisations.

List of territorial authorities

There are currently 67 territorial authorities. Prior to the Auckland Council "super merger" in November 2010, there were 73 territorial authorities. Prior to Banks Peninsula District merging with Christchurch City Council merging in 2006, there were 74 territorial authorities.
NameMembers
SeatArea
PopulationDensity
RegionIsland
Far North District10KaikoheNorthlandNorth
Whangarei District14WhangāreiNorthlandNorth
Kaipara District9DargavilleNorthlandNorth
Auckland21Aucklandunitary authorityNorth
Thames-Coromandel District9ThamesWaikatoNorth
Hauraki District13PaeroaWaikatoNorth
Waikato District14NgāruawāhiaWaikatoNorth
Matamata-Piako District12Te ArohaWaikatoNorth
Hamilton City13HamiltonWaikatoNorth
Waipa District13Te AwamutuWaikatoNorth
Ōtorohanga District8OtorohangaWaikatoNorth
South Waikato District11TokoroaWaikatoNorth
Waitomo District7Te KuitiWaikato
Manawatū-Whanganui 		North
Taupō District11TaupōWaikato
Bay of Plenty
Hawke's Bay
Manawatū-Whanganui 		North
Western Bay of Plenty District12GreertonBay of PlentyNorth
Tauranga City11TaurangaBay of PlentyNorth
Rotorua District11RotoruaBay of Plenty
Waikato 		North
Whakatāne District11WhakataneBay of PlentyNorth
Kawerau District9KawerauBay of PlentyNorth
Ōpōtiki District7OpotikiBay of PlentyNorth
Gisborne District14Gisborneunitary authorityNorth
Wairoa District7WairoaHawke's BayNorth
Hastings District15HastingsHawke's BayNorth
Napier City13NapierHawke's BayNorth
Central Hawke's Bay District9WaipawaHawke's BayNorth
New Plymouth District15New PlymouthTaranakiNorth
Stratford District11StratfordTaranaki
Manawatū-Whanganui 		North
South Taranaki District13HāweraTaranakiNorth
Ruapehu District12TaumarunuiManawatū-WhanganuiNorth
Whanganui District13WhanganuiManawatū-WhanganuiNorth
Rangitikei District12MartonManawatū-Whanganui
Hawke's Bay 		North
Manawatu District11FeildingManawatū-WhanganuiNorth
Palmerston North City16Palmerston NorthManawatū-WhanganuiNorth
Tararua District9DannevirkeManawatū-Whanganui
Wellington 		North
Horowhenua District12LevinManawatū-WhanganuiNorth
Kapiti Coast District11ParaparaumuWellingtonNorth
Porirua City11PoriruaWellingtonNorth
Upper Hutt City11Upper HuttWellingtonNorth
Lower Hutt City13Lower HuttWellingtonNorth
Wellington City15WellingtonWellingtonNorth
Masterton District11MastertonWellingtonNorth
Carterton District9CartertonWellingtonNorth
South Wairarapa District10MartinboroughWellingtonNorth
Tasman District14Richmondunitary authoritySouth
Nelson City13Nelsonunitary authoritySouth
Marlborough District14Blenheimunitary authoritySouth
Buller District11WestportWest CoastSouth
Grey District9GreymouthWest CoastSouth
Westland District9HokitikaWest CoastSouth
Kaikōura District8KaikouraCanterburySouth
Hurunui District10AmberleyCanterburySouth
Waimakariri District11RangioraCanterburySouth
Christchurch City17ChristchurchCanterburySouth
Selwyn District12RollestonCanterburySouth
Ashburton District13AshburtonCanterburySouth
Timaru District10TimaruCanterburySouth
Mackenzie District7FairlieCanterburySouth
Waimate District9WaimateCanterburySouth
Chatham Islands9Waitangiunitary authoritySouth
Waitaki District11OamaruCanterbury
Otago 		South
Central Otago District11AlexandraOtagoSouth
Queenstown-Lakes District11QueenstownOtagoSouth
Dunedin City15DunedinOtagoSouth
Clutha District15BalcluthaOtagoSouth
Southland District13InvercargillSouthlandSouth
Gore District12GoreSouthlandSouth
Invercargill City13InvercargillSouthlandSouth

There are a number of islands where the Minister of Local Government is the territorial authority, two of which have a 'permanent population and/or permanent buildings and structures.' The main islands are listed below :
In addition, seven of the nine groups of the New Zealand outlying islands are outside of any territorial authority:

1989 local government reforms

For many decades until the local government reforms of 1989, a borough with more than 20,000 people could be proclaimed a city. The boundaries of councils tended to follow the edge of the built-up area, so little distinction was made between the urban area and the local government area.
New Zealand's local government structural arrangements were significantly reformed by the Local Government Commission in 1989 when approximately 700 councils and special purpose bodies were amalgamated to create 87 new local authorities. Regional councils were reduced in number from 20 to 13, territorial authorities from 200 to 75, and special purpose bodies from over 400 to 7. The new district and city councils were generally much larger and most covered substantial areas of both urban and rural land. Many places that once had a city council were now being administered by a district council.
As a result, the term "city" began to take on two meanings.
The word "city" came to be used in a less formal sense to describe major urban areas independent of local body boundaries. This informal usage is jealously guarded. Gisborne, for example, adamantly described itself as the first city in the world to see the new millennium. Gisborne is administered by a district council, but its status as a city is not generally disputed.
Under the current law the minimum population for a new city is 50,000.

Changes since 1989

Since the 1989 reorganisations, there have been few major reorganisations or status changes in local government. Incomplete list:
Reports on completed reorganisation proposals since 1999 are available on the Local Government Commission's site.

2007–2009 Royal Commission on Auckland Governance

On 26 March 2009, the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance recommended the Rodney, North Shore, Waitakere, Auckland City, Manukau, Papakura and Franklin territorial councils and the Auckland Regional Council be abolished and the entire Auckland region to be amalgamated into one "supercity". The area would consist of one city council, four urban local councils, and two rural local councils:
The National-led Government responded within about a week. Its proposal, which will go to a Select Committee, has the supercity and many community boards but no local councils and for the first election no separate seats for Maori.
Public reaction to the Royal Commission report was mixed, especially in regards to the Government's amended proposal. Auckland Mayor John Banks supported the amended merger plans.
Criticism of the amended proposal came largely from residents in Manukau, Waitakere and North Shore Cities. In addition, Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples spoke against the exclusion of the Maori seats, as recommended by the Royal Commission. Opposition Leader Phil Goff called for a referendum on the issue.

Creation of Auckland Council

was created on 1 November 2010 — a unitary authority that is classed as both a region and a territorial authority. It incorporated the recommendations of the Royal Commission and was established via legislation. Auckland Council is uniquely divided into "local boards" representing the lowest tier of local government.

Failed proposed changes