Canterbury regional councillors want to serve their full three-year term until 2028 to support the region through change.

The Government announced plans in November to abolish regional councils, with regional functions falling to the region's mayors and potentially minister-appointed representatives.

Environment Canterbury (ECan) held a workshop on Thursday to discuss a draft submission on the Government’s proposal, called Simplifying Local Government.

ECan councillors support reform but say fixing local government is not as simple as abolishing regional councils.

Under the Government plan, mayors would form a combined territorial board and would have two years, from when the legislation passes, to develop a regional reorganisation plan (how councils work together and function) and a regional spatial plan (which guides the future development of the region).

This will need to be approved by the Local Government Minister.

But ECan wants to continue performing regional functions, while a governance body - with representatives from the Canterbury Mayoral Forum, ECan, Mana Whenua, independent experts, and Government agencies - develops a regional reorganisation plan.

A similar body should be set up to prepare a regional spatial plan, the councillors said.

The Canterbury Mayoral Forum comprises the region’s mayors and the regional council chair.

ECan chairperson Dr Deon Swiggs said the mayoral forum has ‘‘a similar view to where we are landing’’.

‘‘We are all want to make something work, both the [local councils] and the regional council. We are not a layer of government, we are a council which does functions across the region.

‘‘There were layers of planning in the old Resource Management Act which gave the impression of layers of government, but that has been removed in the new legislation.’’

Cr John Sunckell said allowing the regional councillors to serve out the term will provide some certainty for council staff.

Cr Ian Mackenzie said he backed regional councillors supporting the transition, but there was no need to set 2028 as ‘‘the end game’’.

‘‘It seems to be a move to a unitary approach, with shared functions across the region.

“We need to support the mayors and listen to what additional support they need.’’

Councillors also discussed a draft submission on the Government’s proposal to set a rates cap of 2-4%.

Swiggs said there needed to be a wider review of the affordability and funding of local government, with several councillors noting central Government collected 93% of tax in New Zealand.

Cr Sunckell said rates caps could lead to ‘‘perverse outcomes’’, particularly when funding rivers and emergency management across the region.

‘‘We have grown out of unfunded mandates (from Government) and it requires us to take more out of our ratepayers’ pockets.’’

When making the announcement in November, Local Government Minister Simon Watts said the reforms will streamline regional decision-making across planning, infrastructure, and regulation, reduce duplication, and strengthen accountability.

"Most people know their mayor. Few could name the chair of their regional council, or even a regional councillor.”

By David Hill