Canterbury councils are running out of time to agree on a local government amalgamation proposal, with councils still weighing their options less than a month before the Government's deadline.

Ashburton received no clear amalgamation direction from its community, and its neighbours Selwyn and Timaru are still looking at their preferred options.

Councils have until August 9 to put forward a Head Start amalgamation plan, or risk a government-imposed arrangement under the backstop process.

The Canterbury Mayoral Forum met on Monday and is no closer to achieving an agreed regional model, as most of the 10 councils are still engaging with their communities on their preferred options.

There is an agreement in principle among the Canterbury councils to continue developing a proposal for the region, but they didn’t agree to a unified timeline and will need to move quickly at the 7end of the month to allow for a coordinated response to be developed to meet the Government’s deadline.

The Forum plans to meet again in late July.

Ashburton isn’t any closer to making a decision after its community engagement survey, which received over 840 responses on the five options, didn’t deliver a clear directive.

Mayor Liz McMillan said there was no strong mandate from the community for one particular option over another, with the community split between maintaining independence as a stand-alone unitary and merging with South Canterbury.

When the top three preferences were combined, the Rangitata South to Rural Selwyn option ranked highest.

The survey responses and comments will filter into a wider analysis for the council to discuss progressing towards a proposal on July 22.

“Whether that is the time that we make a decision on what we're going to do or not, I don't know,” McMillan said.

“We'll need to know what's happening with Christchurch, Selwyn, and Timaru before then.”

There are plenty of assumptions a Greater Christchurch unitary will be on the table, but Selwyn Mayor Lydia Gliddon said her community “is not sold on the idea”.

Gliddon said the council will meet next week to discuss the survey, which received almost 7000 responses, and narrow its options down to two or three to go back to the community.

The likely frontrunners will be Selwyn as a standalone unitary and amalgamating with Ashburton.

Gliddon is holding firm that the Selwyn district needs to remain whole, and that the council will submit a proposal.

“We have to put a proposal in, because if we don't we risk being on the menu, and I'm not willing to be on the menu.

“I’m willing to challenge the ministers on this, as it has to be right for our communities.”

Timaru and Mackenzie launched consultation on potential options this week and will discuss the results on July 29, a week after Ashburton’s meeting.

Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen said last week that if the forum can’t agree on a regional approach, his council will still submit a proposal.

Timaru, Mackenzie, and Waimate were “pretty much aligned” but may need some scale so are considering Ashburton and Waitaki as well, with the Government’s proposal criteria allowing for councils to plan over "someone else’s boundary”, he said.

Waitaki district councillors this week unanimously voted for a northern option as its amalgamation preference, made up of Timaru, Waimate, Mackenzie and Waitaki.

It will also will also “keep the door open for Ashburton, Clutha, and Central Otago district councils if they choose to join the proposal”.

Waimakariri received 1700 responses to its survey, with 55% ranking a North Canterbury Unitary Council (Waimakariri, Hurunui, and potentially Kaikōura) as the preferred option.

Hurunui councillors were torn on whether it wants to become part of a North Canterbury or a rural Canterbury unitary council.

The big question remains what Christchurch City Council's preferred option is.

Christchurch City Mayor Phil Mauger said the city needed to submit a proposal, but neighbouring councils are reluctant to pair up with the city at a workshop last week.

“I've certainly been talking to our neighbours about it, and there's no uncertain terms that they don't want us to touch their towns.

“So, we haven't got any friends to go ahead and say we'd like to do this,” Mauger said.

 By Jonathan Leask