Prime Minister Chris Luxon and his team are trying hard to cut wasteful spending among the bureaucracy down in Wellington – so the taxpayers of this country get a better deal.

I suggest the PM and his team could also make a huge saving to taxpayer and ratepayers alike by merging all the regional councils to their closest city or district council.

There is no need for a double-up in rules, regulation and costs to ratepayers between two different types of councils. So much of what district and regional councils do is overlapping – it makes sense to merge them. And it would save a tonne of money.

Heck – I wouldn’t if the excess doesn’t return to my back pocket – it could be spent on much-needed things like funding the volunteer ambulance service or the Coastguards and surf-lifesaving groups – which are strapped for cash following the pandemic but have more work on their shoulders than ever before.

Let’s cut the bureaucracies in this country and send money where it will be spent more effectively and actually make a defence to ordinary Kiwis.

Ted Atkins, Bethlehem.