Havelock North businessman Damon Harvey says he has offered his resignation as a trustee of the pro-amalgamation group, A Better Hawke's Bay Trust, but remains committed to the amalgamation cause.
Mr Harvey, a director of marketing and public relations firm Attn! Marketing, said his decision to resign followed a personal evaluation of how he wanted to spend his time.
Late last year he was appointed chairman of Sport Hawke's Bay and he is also co-chair of the Jarrod Cunningham Youth Sport Trust.
The two roles "take up quite a bit of time," he said yesterday.
"I've decided to focus my voluntary time on sport administration. I'm passionate about people getting access to sport and recreation and leading healthier lives."
He had not changed his view that merging Hawke's Bay's five local authorities into a single authority was in the best interests of the region, Mr Harvey said.
A Better Hawke's Bay Trust chairwoman Rebecca Turner said, while Mr Harvey had decided to resign as a trustee, he would be involved with the organisation in other ways.
The trust has driven the amalgamation agenda in the region. In February last year, it submitted an application to the Local Government Commission seeking to have Napier, Hastings, Central Hawke's Bay and Wairoa District councils, with the Hawke's Bay Regional Council, merged into a single unitary authority covering the entire province.
The commission released a draft "reorganisation" proposal in November last year based on the trust's application.
Following consultation in the region this year, the commission is expected to soon release a revised proposal ahead of a region-wide poll being held on the issue next year.