This is despite previous mayoral agreements that no council would be forced into a Wellington Unitary Authority, Carterton Mayor Steve Cretney said. In each Wairarapa council area, surveys have shown a Wairarapa unitary option to be more favoured by respondents. An initial survey in Masterton showed about 80% supported a single Wairarapa authority with Carterton and South Wairarapa and 11.5% supported a wider Wellington authority. In this second survey, 54.2% supported a single Wairarapa authority with Carterton and South Wairarapa, and 36.4% supported a wider Wellington Unitary Authority. The total number of people on the unitary authority itself, including community council chairs would be between 22-30 elected members.