Pro-amalgamation lobby group A Better Hawke's Bay (ABHB) will be submitting a reorganisation proposal to the Local Government Commission later this year as it doubts the five Hawke's Bay councils will act with urgency on the matter.
Improving council performance was identified in the Prosperity Report released on Monday as an area of critical importance, the most significant of which was the ongoing capability and viability of the Central Hawke's Bay and Wairoa district councils.
While council reorganisation was not a "silver bullet" to fix the problems, three options would be further explored, including a full amalgamation.
The report estimated - depending on the type of reorganisation undertaken - it could save $3 million to $25 million per annum.
ABHB said the report showed "compelling evidence" that the region would be held back unless there was a reorganisation of the councils.