New Plymouth's Mayor is continuing to criticise the government's approach to Maori representation on councils.

Earlier this year Mayor Andrew Judd held a referendum in the city, allowing a public vote to decide if the council should have its own Maori ward.

Residents overwhelmingly voted against the change.

Six months on Mr Judd says they're still struggling to establish a form of representation.

He says they're obliged by law to have Maori representation, but government guidelines on the matter are making it difficult.

"I find the options that are given to us by the government farcical," he said.

"They're not serious in their wording, they're too ambiguous."