A decision is expected this week on how the Western Bay of Plenty and Hauraki District Councils will handle Waihi Beach's decision to leave the Bay of Plenty.
The mayors of both districts met at Western Bay of Plenty District Council headquarters in Tauranga on Tuesday, February 2 and discussed the residents' petition calling for a boundary change so they can amalgamate with the Hauraki District.

The petition has been checked, it's valid and the 788 valid signatures is well over the required 10 per cent or 286 residents required.
The councils have 60 days from when the petition was lodged on December 12, that's next week February 19, to decide if they will deal with it either by:
* A joint committee of the affected councils (or)
* One of the affected councils being appointed to deal with it (or)
* Referring the matter directly to the local government commission.

The affected councils also include the regional councils, Environment Bay of Plenty and Environment Waikato. Both regional council chief executive officers attended the February 2 meeting.
The Western Bay of Plenty will make its decision on Thursday, says Mayor Ross Paterson.
'All the decisions from the Hauraki district and Environment Bay of Plenty and Environment Waikato will come to us, and the next day or that day, we will notify the Local Government Commission.”