Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger has dodged talk of putting on his "big pants" in the Canterbury council amalgamation conversations.

Mauger returned from a sister city visit in China at the end of last week.

In his absence, Ashburton District Councillor Tony Todd twice suggested Mauger needed to “put his big pants on” in the local government reform negotiations.

Mauger was asked to respond to Todd’s challenge for Christchurch City Council to take the lead in Canterbury's amalgamation discussion.

The mayor didn't refer to the pants remark, but said the council is committed to an evidence-based approach.

"Any regional reorganisation must succeed at the regional level,” Mauger said.

“Our focus is on ensuring change delivers for Canterbury and supports long-term regional success.

“Christchurch will continue to act as a constructive partner, working to identify a pathway that achieves the best outcomes for our communities and the region as a whole.”

Councils have just seven weeks remaining on a Government deadline to put forward a plan for larger unitary councils. Canterbury's 10 district and city councils are yet to decide on potential amalgamations.

Todd said a greater Christchurch unitary council, including Rolleston, Lincoln, and Prebbleton, is logical and Mauger needed to “say we want to go to a super city”.

“That would solve some of the issues if we knew what they were doing.”

Not everyone shares Todd’s assertions about a greater Christchurch council.

The People’s Choice, Christchurch’s left-leaning political grouping that has seven out of 16 councillors on the City Council, said bigger is not always better.

One of those is Councillor Melanie Coker, who said in a social media post that all proposed councils must be financially sustainable – not just the cities.

“That means districts can’t be severed of their commercial centres, which are their social, employment, and service hubs.

“Leaving our neighbouring councils as sprawling, sparsely populated districts with no ratings base and expensive roading networks is setting them up to fail.”

Selwyn has been touted as an obvious merger candidate with Christchurch.

However, that would remove the main centres of Rolleston and Lincoln, with the potential to isolate the rest of the district.

Selwyn Mayor Lydia Gliddon has previously said it would be difficult to split the district.

Selwyn has received 6900 responses to its amalgamation survey, and the majority are understood to favour the option of exploring both a stand-alone unity and amalgamation with neighbouring councils.

Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon told NewstalkZB last week that he would prefer to amalgamate with the Hurunui and Kaikōura district councils rather than merge with Christchurch city.

The Canterbury Mayoral Forum held a second workshop on June 12 to work through the details of a potential region-wide approach, but little progress was made as most councils were still consulting their communities on their options.

The Mayoral Forum is understood to be meeting again on July 6.

If councils fail to come up with a plan by August 9, the Government could force local government mergers.

"Our message to councils is simple: lead your own reform, or we will do it for you. Either way, change is coming," RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop said in May.

Proposals must focus on creating larger unitary authorities, which are aimed at reducing duplication and improving decision-making.

By Jonathan Leask