Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate: “It would be really helpful to have a more collaborative structure.” Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate says a just-announced review of how councils operate and are funded is not happening before time – “because we just can’t keep asking ratepayers for more money”. Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta set forth the scope of review into the future of local government on Friday morning. It will include examinations of how councils get their revenue, and what their focus should be after they are – potentially at this stage – relieved of the burden of roles such as resource consenting and the provision water services.