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Stratford District Council has voted unanimously to pursue amalgamation with the South Taranaki District Council as part of local government reforms, at the expense of a wider union with the New Plymouth District Council.

It's the second rebuff this week for New Plymouth, after South Taranaki also voted for a two-council model - one unitary council for south-central Taranaki and one in the north.

Territorial authorities around the country have until Sunday to submit proposals ahead of the deadline for the Head Start pathway as part of reforms which will consign regional councils to history.

Stratford and South Taranaki have lost little time in making their wishes known.

Stratford mayor Neil Volzke called it a no brainer.

"When you look at the similarity of our two councils we've both got large rural areas, a number of small towns servicing those areas and our structure, our values and things that are important to us as communities are very similar."

In his opinion, New Plymouth was a whole different kettle of fish.

"When you look at New Plymouth it's more urban based, of course, and their priorities are different.

"So, it's not a one size fits all and it's not a convenience kind of discussion, it's about where you feel most naturally suited and for us that sort of rural feel versus urban is kind of a better fit."

South Taranaki mayor Phil Nixon was on the same page.

"The fact that we're rural, we're much smaller towns, that's really the difference.

"And we don't always entirely understand what it's like to be in that urban, that city community, as I don't think a lot of them in the heart of the city always understand our problems and what we go through in the rural areas."

He said the province would still need to take a team Taranaki approach.

"We certainly need to have a good relationship. We always have. We've been Taranaki as one, and so we need to have a really good working relationship with them.

"People say in South Taranaki it's all about Hāwera. But, the way I look at it is if Hāwera is not doing well, South Taranaki doesn't do well.

"And it's the same with New Plymouth. If New Plymouth's not doing well, Taranaki doesn't do well."

For their part, the New Plymouth District Council and Taranaki Regional Council (TRC) had called in consultants to help put together a $1.3 million so-called 'Pathfinder Proposal'.

That was despite the TRC not officially being invited to make a submission.

New Plymouth mayor Max Brough admitted the strategy was not without its risks.

"Personally, I don't see anything wrong with the two-unitary councils model, but it's too early to make that call for us.

"Look, we're doing quite a bit of work. We're spending a lot of money, and I question whether that's the right thing to do now, given that South have gone out and very clearly said, no matter what the depth of the analysis is at the end, they think they want to have two unitary councils from the start."

He said the Pathfinder Proposal aimed to canvass all the options.

On Stratford's Broadway there were mixed views on leaving New Plymouth out in the cold.

Dot was looking to the south.

"I think it's a good idea [to go with South Taranaki]. I don't see why we should be lumbered with New Plymouth."

Simon was for a unified approach.

"I think it should all come under one council."

A man, who preferred not to give his name, felt otherwise.

"I'd rather go south. New Plymouth will rip us off."

Margaret thought Stratford and Hāwera were a good fit.

"We're both similar, rural communities, and New Plymouth is a city."

Connor agreed.

"Stratford really aligns with South Taranaki more than it does New Plymouth."

A woman, who asked not give her name, liked the status quo.

"I think we should just leave it like it is. Nothing good comes from making things different, change."

Jessie wasn't a fan of the city to the north.

"Nah, nah, not New Plymouth. Stratford would just get lost in all the politics of the big city,"

Alan was thinking of the potential savings.

"We're better off all in one as far as reducing our costs, you know, instead of having multiple administrations having one across the whole province, just to reduce the cost for the ratepayer."

The New Plymouth District Council will vote on whether to submit its Pathfinder Proposal on Thursday.

The government would decide by September which proposals should move on to a detailed design phase, before final decisions were made in 2027.