Two Auckland city councils are considering expensive send-offs before the region's councils amalgamate.
Manukau City Council is considering staging an $85,000 farewell event, while Auckland City Council wants to spend $120,000 publishing a book on its history.
Local Government Minister Rodney Hide says he is shocked by such frivolous expenditure and plans to write to both councils.
But one Auckland city councillor, David Hay, says Mr Hide should butt out.
Mr Hay says funding for the book will come from savings made from a pay freeze for elected staff in the past two years.
