Study to look into economy

A study into Hawke's Bay's economy could be a compromise on amalgamation following Monday's mayors and chairs forum.

The quarterly meeting, which includes mayors from Hastings, Napier, Wairoa and Central Hawke's Bay as well as regional council chairman Fenton Wilson, focused on ways the region could improve its economic performance.

Mr Wilson said the main motivation for amalgamation among supporters was to improve Hawke's Bay's economy and prosperity. "This piece of work needs to happen," he said. "It's too important to keep it on the back burner. We should be focusing on prosperity first and foremost."

He would suggest at a regional council committee meeting next month that the councils fund a study looking at how local products are developed, where they are exported and how value could be added locally. It would also look at rates paid across the region and how those rates were spent.

The word amalgamation had a lot of preconceived ideas attached to it and was not the best way to focus on improving the Bay economy, Mr Wilson said.

"The study will be as if it's already one council. This is how much is gathered and what it's spent on.

"It's a far more measured way to have the conversation and get a better result."

Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott said the councils were working together closely in a number of areas, and the study was aimed at finding a better way forward. "There's a feeling that if we want to address some of the issues that have been discussed lately in terms of Hawke's Bay and what's happening economically, a study would be very useful."