Territorial authorities
Map of current territorial authority areas
Location	New Zealand
Number	67 (53 district councils, 12 city councils, and 2 other) (as of 2025)

Theterritorial authorities of New Zealand are the country'smunicipal local government entities, existing alongside the country'sregional councils. There are 67 such authorities, including 12 city councils, 53 district councils and 2sui generis councils (Auckland Council andChatham Islands Council). Five territorial authorities^[a] also have the powers of regional councils, and these are calledunitary authorities.

Territorial authorities are not subservient to regional councils, and several of them have jurisdictions overlapping multiple regional council areas. Territorial authorities are responsible for the administration of local matters and resources. These include roads, building consents, water supply and sanitation, amongst other responsibilities. They are not responsible for broader regional environmental management or public transport, as those are the responsibilities of the regional councils.

In 1840 theColonial Office was given the authority to divide New Zealand into counties,hundreds, towns, townships, andparishes. These divisions were to be of set sizes (similar to North American divisions, many of which are rectangular in shape) but this was rarely implemented.^[1]

For many decades until thelocal government reforms of 1989, a borough with more than 20,000 people could be proclaimed acity. The boundaries of councils tended to follow the edge of the built-up area, so little distinction was made between the urban area and the local government area.

New Zealand's local government structural arrangements were significantly reformed by theLocal Government Commission in 1989 whenapproximately 700 councils and special purpose bodies were amalgamated to create 87 new local authorities. Regional councils were reduced in number from 20 to 13, territorial authorities (city/district councils) from 200 to 75, and special purpose bodies from over 400 to 7.^[2] The new district and city councils were generally much larger and most covered substantial areas of both urban and rural land. Many places that once had a city council were now being administered by a district council.

As a result, the term "city" began to take on two meanings.

City also came to be used in a less formal sense to describe major urban areas independent of local body boundaries. This informal usage is jealously guarded. Gisborne, for example, adamantly described itself as the first city in the world to see the new millennium. Gisborne is administered by a district council, but its status as a city is not generally disputed.^{[citation needed]}

Under current law, an urban area has to be at least 50,000 residents before it can be officially proclaimed as a city.^[3]

Since the 1989 reorganisations, there have been few major reorganisations or status changes in local government. Incomplete list:

• 1991:Invercargill re-proclaimed a city.
• 1992:Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council abolished by a Local Government Amendment Act. Of its territorial authorities, theKaikōura District was transferred to the Canterbury Region, andNelson City andTasman andMarlborough districts becameunitary authorities.
• 1995: TheChatham Islands County was dissolved and reconstituted by anAct of Parliament as the "Chatham Islands Territory", with powers similar to those of territorial authorities and some functions similar to those of a regional council.^[4]
• 2004:Tauranga became a city again on 1 March.
• 2006: TheBanks Peninsula District merged intoChristchurch as a result of a 2005 referendum.
• 2010:Auckland Council, a unitary authority, replaced seven local councils and the regional council.

Reports on completed reorganisation proposals since 1999 are available on the Local Government Commission's site (link below).

On 26 March 2009, theRoyal Commission on Auckland Governance recommended the Rodney, North Shore, Waitakere, Auckland City, Manukau, Papakura and Franklin territorial councils and the Auckland Regional Council be abolished and the entire Auckland region to be amalgamated into one "supercity".^[5] The area would consist of one city council (with statutory provision for threeMāori councillors), four urban local councils, and two rural local councils:

• Rodney local council would lose Orewa, Dairy Flat, and Whangaparaoa but retain the remainder of the current Rodney District. The split areas as well as the current North Shore City would form a Waitemata local council.
• Waitakere local council would consist of the current Waitakere City as well as the Avondale area.
• Tamaki Makaurau would consist of the current Auckland City and Otahuhu (excludingCBD)
• Manukau local council would consist of the urban parts of the current Manukau City and of the Papakura District.
• Hunua local council would consist of the entire Franklin District, much of which is currently in the Waikato Region, along with rural areas of the current Papakura District and Manukau City.
• The entire Papakura District would be dissolved between urban and rural councils.

The National-led Government responded within about a week. Its plan, which went to a Select Committee, accepted the proposal for supercity and many community boards, but rejected proposals for local councils and, initially, noseparate seats for Māori.

Public reaction to the Royal Commission report was mixed, especially in regards to the Government's amended proposal. Auckland MayorJohn Banks supported the amended merger plans.^[6]

Criticism of the amended proposal came largely from residents in Manukau, Waitakere and North Shore Cities.^{[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]} In addition, Māori Affairs MinisterPita Sharples spoke against the exclusion of the Māori seats, as recommended by the Royal Commission.^[14][15] Opposition LeaderPhil Goff called for a referendum on the issue.^[16]

Auckland Council was created on 1 November 2010—a unitary authority that is classed as both a region and a territorial authority. It incorporated the recommendations of the Royal Commission and was established via legislation.^[17] Auckland Council is uniquely divided into "local boards" representing the lowest tier of local government.^[18]

• 2015: Proposals to amalgamate local councils in Wellington^[19] and Northland were accepted^[20] by the Local Government Commission for consideration, although following consultation they ultimately were not formed into a final proposal. The status quo remains.
• 2015: Amalgamation of four local councils and the regional council in Hawke's Bay was proposed by the Local Government Commission. A district wide referendum was held in Sep-2015, and the proposal was defeated by 66% of voters.^[21]
• 2015: The Local Government Commission received a proposal to review local government arrangements on the West Coast. In August 2016 the Commission decided to progress the application. The Commission then invited alternative applications to the original application. The Commission's call for alternative reorganisation applications or other proposals for change to West Coast local government arrangements closed on 15 March 2017. The Commission received 23 responses, 19 of which made specific proposals for change. In December 2017 the Local Government Commission determined its preferred option for local government reorganisation on the West Coast to be the transfer of district plan preparation from the Buller, Grey and Westland district councils to the West Coast Regional Council.^[22]
• 2017: The Local Government Commission received a proposal to amalgamate theMasterton,Carterton andSouth Wairarapa District Councils into a combinedWairarapa District Council.^[23] The proposal was defeated by referendum with 59% of voters rejecting the proposed merger.^[24]

There are currently 67 territorial authorities. Before the Auckland Council "super merge" in November 2010, there were 73 territorial authorities. Before theBanks Peninsula District Council merged with theChristchurch City Council in 2006, there were 74 territorial authorities.

CoA	Territory	Authority	Seat	Area (km²)[25]	Pop.[b]	Region[c]
Link	Far North	District Council	Kaikohe	6,684	73,700	Northland
Link	Whangārei	District Council	Whangārei	2,712	100,600	Northland
None	Kaipara	District Council	Dargaville	3,109	26,800	Northland
None	Auckland	Council	Auckland	4,941	1,816,000	Auckland
None	Thames-Coromandel	District Council	Thames	2,207	32,200	Waikato
None	Hauraki	District Council	Paeroa	1,270	22,100	Waikato
None	Waikato	District Council	Ngāruawāhia	4,404	91,100	Waikato
None	Matamata-Piako	District Council	Te Aroha	1,755	39,200	Waikato
	Hamilton	City Council	Hamilton	110	192,100	Waikato
None	Waipā	District Council	Te Awamutu	1,470	62,200	Waikato
None	Ōtorohanga	District Council	Ōtorohanga	1,999	10,700	Waikato
None	South Waikato	District Council	Tokoroa	1,819	26,000	Waikato
None	Waitomo	District Council	Te Kūiti	3,535	9,950	Waikato (94.87%) Manawatū-Whanganui (5.13%)
None	Taupō	District Council	Taupō	6,333	42,700	Waikato (73.74%) Bay of Plenty (14.31%) Hawke's Bay (11.26%) Manawatū-Whanganui (0.69%)
None	Western Bay of Plenty	District Council	Greerton[d]	1,951	60,100	Bay of Plenty
None	Tauranga	City Council	Tauranga	135	161,000	Bay of Plenty
	Rotorua	District Council	Rotorua	2,409	78,000	Bay of Plenty (61.52%) Waikato (38.48%)
None	Whakatāne	District Council	Whakatāne	4,450	38,400	Bay of Plenty
None	Kawerau	District Council	Kawerau	24	7,680	Bay of Plenty
None	Ōpōtiki	District Council	Ōpōtiki	3,090	10,300	Bay of Plenty
	Gisborne	District Council	Gisborne	8,385	52,700	Gisborne
Link	Wairoa	District Council	Wairoa	4,077	8,940	Hawke's Bay
	Hastings	District Council	Hastings	5,227	88,300	Hawke's Bay
	Napier	City Council	Napier	105	66,400	Hawke's Bay
Link	Central Hawke's Bay	District Council	Waipawa	3,333	15,950	Hawke's Bay
None	New Plymouth	District Council	New Plymouth	2,205	90,100	Taranaki
None	Stratford	District Council	Stratford	2,163	10,500	Taranaki (68.13%) Manawatū-Whanganui (31.87%)
None	South Taranaki	District Council	Hāwera	3,575	29,800	Taranaki
None	Ruapehu	District Council	Taumarunui	6,734	13,450	Manawatū-Whanganui
	Whanganui	District Council	Whanganui	2,373	49,200	Manawatū-Whanganui
None	Rangitikei	District Council	Marton	4,484	16,000	Manawatū-Whanganui (86.37%) Hawke's Bay (13.63%)
Link	Manawatū	District Council	Feilding	2,657	34,000	Manawatū-Whanganui
	Palmerston North	City Council	Palmerston North	395	90,500	Manawatū-Whanganui
None	Tararua	District Council	Dannevirke	4,365	18,950	Manawatū-Whanganui (98.42%) Wellington (1.58%)
None	Horowhenua	District Council	Levin	1,064	38,400	Manawatū-Whanganui
None	Kāpiti Coast	District Council	Paraparaumu	732	58,000	Wellington
	Porirua	City Council	Porirua	175	61,500	Wellington
	Upper Hutt	City Council	Upper Hutt	540	47,400	Wellington
	Lower Hutt	City Council	Lower Hutt	376	114,200	Wellington
	Wellington	City Council	Wellington	290	210,800	Wellington
Link	Masterton	District Council	Masterton	2,300	28,900	Wellington
Link	Carterton	District Council	Carterton	1,180	10,300	Wellington
None	South Wairarapa	District Council	Martinborough	2,387	12,200	Wellington
None	Tasman	District Council	Richmond	9,616	59,900	Tasman
	Nelson	City Council	Nelson	422	54,300	Nelson
Link	Marlborough	District Council	Blenheim	10,458	50,800	Marlborough
None	Buller	District Council	Westport	7,943	10,650	West Coast
None	Grey	District Council	Greymouth	3,474	14,600	West Coast
None	Westland	District Council	Hokitika	11,828	9,430	West Coast
None	Kaikōura	District Council	Kaikōura	2,047	4,340	Canterbury
None	Hurunui	District Council	Amberley	8,641	14,350	Canterbury
None	Waimakariri	District Council	Rangiora	2,217	69,800	Canterbury
	Christchurch	City Council	Christchurch	1,416	419,200	Canterbury
Link	Selwyn	District Council	Rolleston	6,381	87,600	Canterbury
	Ashburton	District Council	Ashburton	6,182	37,400	Canterbury
	Timaru	District Council	Timaru	2,732	49,500	Canterbury
None	Mackenzie	District Council	Fairlie	7,139	5,520	Canterbury
None	Waimate	District Council	Waimate	3,554	8,450	Canterbury
None	Waitaki	District Council	Oamaru	7,108	24,600	Canterbury (59.61%) Otago (40.39%)
None	Central Otago	District Council	Alexandra	9,933	25,800	Otago
Link	Queenstown-Lakes	District Council	Queenstown	8,720	53,800	Otago
	Dunedin	City Council	Dunedin	3,286	132,800	Otago
None	Clutha	District Council	Balclutha	6,335	18,800	Otago
Link	Southland	District Council	Invercargill	29,552	33,900	Southland
None	Gore	District Council	Gore	1,254	12,950	Southland
	Invercargill	City Council	Invercargill	390	58,000	Southland
None	Chatham Islands	Council	Waitangi	794	620	Chatham Islands

CoA	Territory	Authority	Existed		Seat	Area (km²)	Region[c]	Successor
			Created	Disbanded
None	Banks Peninsula	District Council	1 November 1989	6 March 2006			Canterbury	Merged into Christchurch City Council
	Auckland	City Council		1 November 2010			Auckland	Merged into Auckland Council
None	Rodney	District Council
None	North Shore	City Council
	Waitakere	City Council
	Manukau	City Council
None	Franklin	District Council
Link	Papakura	District Council

The directly elected leaders of territorial authorities are calledmayors. They chair local council meetings and have limitedexecutive powers, including the ability to appoint a deputy mayor, establish committees, and select chairpersons for said committees. Their constitutional role, as laid out in the Local Government Act 2002, is to provide leadership to their councillors and citizens of their districts, and to guide the direction of council plans and policies.

Under the terms of theLocal Government Act 2002, district councils have to represent the interests of their future communities and consider the views of people affected by their decisions. To fulfill that requirement and give young people a say in the decision-making process, many councils have a youth council.^[26] In late December 2023, theAshburton District Council scrapped their youth council, stating they could engage better with younger people online and describing the current youth council as "a youth club where they ate pizza."^[27] In early January 2024, theGore District Council opted to restructure its youth council and ruled out dismantling it.^[28] In April 2024, theWhanganui District Council proposed scrapping its youth council by June 2024 as part of budget saving measures.^[26]

Community boards
Map of current community board areas
Location	New Zealand
Number	111 (as of 2025)

Any territorial authority can set up subdivisions of itself to represent specific communities, known as community or local boards. These were first established as part of the1989 local government reforms, and are currently defined by theLocal Government Act 2002.

Community boards are sub-district, unincorporatedlocal government bodies that may be established for any contiguous area in a territorial authority district.^[29] They are intended to represent and advocate for specific communities within a council catchment area. As of 2025^[update], there are around 110 community boards across New Zealand.^[30]

Local boards have greater powers than community boards. As of 2025^[update],Auckland Council is the only territorial authority in New Zealand with local boards,^[31] which were established by the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009.

Auckland Council has 21 local boards covering the entire city which provide governance at the local level and are responsible for libraries and other community facilities, local parks and events, and have the power to develop local by-laws or propose local targeted rates.^[31] Each local board has 5 to 9 elected members, with 149 local board members across all boards.^[32]

• Territorial authorities of New Zealand
• Lists of subdivisions of New Zealand
• Administrative divisions in Oceania

• CS1 maint: publisher location
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use New Zealand English from August 2019
• All Wikipedia articles written in New Zealand English
• Use dmy dates from May 2020
• All articles with unsourced statements
• Articles with unsourced statements from March 2021
• Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2025
• All articles containing potentially dated statements