Fresh analysis casts serious doubt on National's local government reform agenda

A new report from New Zealand's partnership of regional and unitary councils, finds services currently handled by councils are most effectively delivered at a regional level - and abandoning that would create significant costs and disruption.

Chair of Local Government New Zealand's regional sector Deon Swiggs, says mayors and chairs across the country agree, the current local government arrangements aren't sustainable.

He says regional-scale planning and delivery rely on local decision-making by people who understand their communities and can't be replaced by one-size-fits-all central government agencies.