Brian Anderson The Western Front www.sunlive.co.nz

Councils are just starting to emerge from behind the amalgamation and unitary authority shelter sheds.

Western Bay of Plenty District councillor Don Thwaites, during the October local body elections, acknowledged in that his council has been talking about amalgamation for three years and one of his main aims is to bring the discussion out to the public. He has been totally silent on the subject since, and later avoided answering any questions on the topic. Apparently, his friends didn't appreciate his talking dirty.

The meeting at Waihi Beach to discuss amalgamation across the western Bay of Plenty included representatives from Local Government, Thames-Coromandel District Council and Western Bay's new deputy mayor Gwenda Merriman, but no Tauranga representation. The meeting was reported in the Waihi Leader but has not been mentioned in any other papers. Western Bay will have to be careful or Tauranga might not talk with her any more.

There have been hints of Tauranga in trouble financially. Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby opened up to the public, during the election, admitting a possible rates rise of at least 12 per cent during the next three years. By contrast, the old gang clung on in the Western Bay, telling everybody they are a lean and mean organisation; they have debt under control with rates that will flat line during the next few years. The Western Bay's debt-asset ratio is much worse than Tauranga's; and rates in the Western Bay are already about $600 more than Tauranga's. Just like teenagers, any combined parties will have to be financed by the parents, the Government.

Jane Nees' recent column on new forms of local government is a breath of fresh air. The new structures indicated include much more local input and less top down management by councils. This new local control element is working well in Thames-Coromandel District Council. TCDC heard the call from Local Government three years ago; and the changes have been highly successful.

But the powers that be in the Bay are still hiding. Pus, the silence after the Waihi Beach meeting suggests a new larger Western Bay is a long way off. Western Bay Mayor Ross Paterson has warned councillors it is too early to even talk about the subject, and he is on record saying that Western Bay is waiting for instruction from the Government.

Ross might be waiting a long time. Scott Simpson, MP for the Coromandel, which includes part of Western Bay, informed the Waihi meeting that Government is waiting for the local councils to make the first move.

Jane Nees' column is acknowledgement of the way forward. But, as regional council is the big brother of the council family that should also be involved in any new authority, it would seem more leadership for change should be coming from that direction. It could just be a case of the territorial authorities having to grow up, face up to life, actually listen, communicate and work with the public. It is about time.