A new political entity calling itself One Bay of Plenty and One Waikato will contest the local body elections this October.

Instead of party political, One BOP and One Waikato is pan-regional, comprised of standing and hopeful politicians from both the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions.

BOP spokesman and Tauranga Regional Councillor Doug Owens.

Campaign membership includes three candidates standing for the BOP Regional Council, two for Tauranga City Council and eight for the Waikato Regional Council.

The platform is pushing efficiencies and savings through co-operation and amalgamation of services.

Group spokesman and current Deputy Chair of the Waikato Regional Council, Simon Friar, says more than $200million can be saved in the next ten years by councils in the Waikato region, by simply sharing resources.

One BOP spokesman and Tauranga Regional Councillor, Doug Owens, says similar savings can be made in the Bay of Plenty.

There are real synergies between both regions and co-operation could become pan regional, nationally, says Doug.

'It's a no-brainer really,” says Doug.

'There are definite and potential gains identified but leadership is needed to make this happen and it is the ratepayers of the region who will benefit and the environment will be improved.”

'The ONE BOP Team is open to other candidates endorsing and joining our call for the integration of a common structure.”

Current Members of One BOP are: Douglas Owens BOPRC for Tauranga; Tom Walters BOPRC for Western Bays; Tai Eru BOPRC for Okurei - Rotorua Maori Seat; Terry Molloy Te Papa Ward TCC and Clayton Mitchell for Papamoa Ward in TCC.

Members of One Waikato are: Regional Council chair, Peter Buckley; Regional Transport Committee chair, Norm Barker

The three sitting One Waikato councillors are joined by the following new candidates: Steve Tritt, Hamilton; Dave Currie, Waikato; Taupo councillor Rob Henderson; Kevin Ferris, Waipa; Tipa Mahuta, Nga Hau e Wha.

It is time for councils in the Bay to fully empower BOPLASS (Bay of Plenty Local Authority Shared Services) and get on with the job of doing things more sensibly across the region and in the interests of ratepayers, says Doug.

BOPLASS is a shared services agreement between councils in the Bay of Plenty and East Coast that is achieving savings by shared purchasing and services.

'We believe in a better way of doing business through a dynamic regional partnership that will reduce costs, streamline planning, deliver real value to ratepayers and ensure a resilient environment,” says Doug.

'ONE BOP and ONE Waikato is a refreshing approach to doing the business of regional and local government.

'It is our promise to exercise the real art of governance – to identify and secure the benefits available for the people we represent and we're asking for a mandate to make it happen.”

The One Groups have three key goals:

Cost savings for ratepayers with all local councils and the regional councils sharing services and combining ratepayer functions.

More effective planning producing fewer plans as a result of the BOPLASS shared service model.

Accountable leadership providing good governance, to build and empower strong communities and generate a vibrant economy within a resilient environment.

'We believe every district and city community in the BOP region should determine its own economic, social, cultural and natural environment - but by working together in regional partnership we can save millions of dollars on behalf of our ratepayers.

'We believe that our regional and local councils can, and should work together to achieve these economies of scale to deliver more streamlined and more efficient services to the region's communities.”

'BOPLASS is the leading example of regional cooperation in New Zealand and this model could feasibly be outsourced nationally to all regions.”