Perceptions that Waihi Beach is a cash cow for the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, and a recent unpopular Environment Court case are among drivers persuading Waihi Beach residents they will get a better deal under a different regime.
A recent petition seeking a change of local governors has resulted in 1000 signatures – a 40 per cent return where the threshold is 10 per cent.

Waihi Beach.

It sets off a process giving the Western Bay of Plenty District Council and the Hauraki District Council 60 days – until February 21 – to decide how to proceed.
Petition organiser Brian Hepenstall says there are three options; the councils can form a joint committee, nominate either council to deal with it, or go to the Local Government Commission.
Waihi Beach has been part of the political Western Bay of Plenty since the Local Government Act imposed boundary changes in 1989. Before then, Waihi Beach saw itself as part of the Coromandel. It still does, says Brian.
'There has always been a very close association between Waihi and Waihi Beach.” 'Most people do their shopping in Waihi, not Katikati or Tauranga.
'If you have a look at a lot of the publicity material put out about by the Hauraki District Council about the Coromandel Peninsula, they still include us in it.”
The HDC gave its blessing to Brian's petition, unlike a similar petition that took place in 1992.
'It failed because at that time the HDC did not want Waihi Beach. It was a personality thing from what I can ascertain. I suspect they never approached the HDC before they embarked on their petition. We did.”
'They have indicated that they think they can accommodate us. The two mayors had already been talking prior to my lodging the petition.”
Another cause of Waihi Beach residents' discontent is the fact they are likely to lose their community board.
The number of permanent residents at Waihi Beach is static or declining compared with the rest of the Western Bay of Plenty District Council's area, says Brian. The Waihi Beach ward will struggle to have enough electors to justify their ward councillor.
'There has been some talk of the possibility of having to merge with Katikati to make up the numbers,” says Brian. 'If this were to happen it would be disastrous as we would lose our identity.
'For this reason, it makes more sense to merge into a lower populated Council such as HDC where from day one we would have two councillors. I think this issue is worth voting for on its own, forgetting all other issues.”