The Northland Regional Council is welcoming a government agency's decision to assess the Far North District Council's plans for a unitary authority, saying it's glad the proposal is now in the hands of an independent body.
The Local Government Commission agreed last week to consider the FNDC's proposal to scrap the NRC - in the Far North anyway - and take on the regional council's responsibilities.
The FNDC plan also reserves three seats at the council table for Maori.
The proposal, unsurprisingly, has not been warmly received in the NRC's Whangarei offices.
Chairman Craig Brown said the NRC was pleased the FNDC's proposal would now be overseen by an independent body, and would assist the commission in any way it could.