What rights, if any, do residents and ratepayers have to petition for or demand a binding poll on an amalgamation affecting their district under the Head Start or Back Stop processes, and how do those rights compare with those available under the Local Government Act 2002 before this reform?

Answer

Head Start is a voluntary process for councils that were ready to move. The need for unanimous council support or a high level of community support has been a barrier to local government reorganisation in the past. The Government accepts that some form of Crown intervention will be required to give effect to reorganisation through the Head Start pathway, e.g., by removing the requirement for the unconditional support of all affected local authorities or a poll of electors. The exact nature of any change will be determined in the context of Head Start proposals that progress.