Napier Mayor Bill Dalton has defended a decision to exclude the public from a $7000 ratepayer-funded amalgamation workshop for councillors the city is hosting next week.
Councillors from across the region have been invited to the five-hour workshop on Wednesday which will be led by Auckland consultant Bruce Nicholson, a specialist in local government strategy and operations.
The Local Government Commission is proposing Hawke's Bay's five local authorities be amalgamated into a single region-wide super council.
The workshop has been arranged so Mr Nicholson can share his experience on amalgamation issues, including time spent working for the Auckland Transition Agency which managed the setting-up of the Auckland super city council.
Mr Dalton, an outspoken opponent of amalgamation, has previously said the workshop would "provide a clearer picture on the effect the proposed amalgamation would have on governance, levels of service and rates".