Council approves establishment

This is a joint media release issued by Far North, Whangarei and Kaipara District councils.

Kaipara District Council has approved the establishment of Northland Waters Limited as a Northland‑wide council‑controlled organisation (CCO), in accordance with the accepted Water Services Delivery Plan.

This confirms council’s continued participation in the jointly led programme being developed by Northland councils to strengthen the delivery of drinking water and wastewater services for communities across the region.

As part of the decision, council also approved the Shareholders Agreement, Constitution and Transition Agreement for Northland Waters Limited. These documents set out how the company will be governed, how councils will exercise oversight as shareholders, and how services will transition into the new organisation.

Last month, council reaffirmed its commitment in principle to a regional approach to water services delivery from July 2027. The approval represents the second formal commitment point, confirming readiness to move from planning into establishment.

At the same meeting, elected members appointed Mayor Jonathan Larsen and Councillor Luke Canton to represent Kaipara District Council on the Shareholder Representative Group, with Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth and Councillor Snow Tane as alternates.

Mayor Larsen says today is an important step forward for the district.

“Our primary focus throughout this process is to get the best deal possible for Kaipara ratepayers. At the same time we have been focused on strengthening the whole Northland region in a way that is best for everyone.” 

Mayor Larsen acknowledged the Elected Member Steering Group (EMSG) representatives Councillor Craig Jepson and Councillor Rachael Williams for their dedication to securing a good outcome for Kaipara.

“We’ve done a lot of careful planning to get to this point. This allows us to move into delivery – putting governance in place and confirming stakeholder representation, and starting the practical work needed to make sure everything is ready from day one on 1 July 2027.”

Kaipara District Council is the first of the region’s district councils to approve the establishment. The Department of Internal Affairs has confirmed that progressing with establishment under this option is consistent with the accepted Water Services Delivery Plan, including in circumstances where another council may choose not to join at this stage.

The next stage will focus on getting the new company formally set up and ready to operate. This includes planning how services and staff will transition across, hiring a chief executive, and putting the necessary transfer agreements in place so the company can begin operating smoothly.