Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott says individual communities should decide what kind of council they want to run their region, instead of central Government proposing changes on amalgamation.
Parliament this week approved the first reading of the Local Government Amendment Bill which includes a move to make councils more productive and efficient.
The bill also looks at streamlining procedures for councils and communities to apply for amalgamation, rather than the current minimum support threshold of 50%.
Ms Arnott says the changes would make it easier for Napier, Wairoa and other areas to amalgamate but it should be the people's right to make their own decisions about their district.
