A potential shake-up of councils is sparking debate around the motu, with some calling for council mergers. Canterbury's regional council waded into the conversation with a recent workshop. LDR reporter Jonathan Leask looks at the divided reaction.

As regional councils face an uncertain future amid Government reforms, Environment Canterbury has been forced to defend its own decision to step into the debate.

ECan held a workshop on July 9 on potential new regional government models - including a Canterbury Assembly based on the Greater Manchester Council model, combined council, a unitary council(s) and a regional environmental leadership body.

Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon questioned the timing of the event, as did an ECan councillor, but other Canterbury mayors backed the workshop discussions.

Resources Minister Shane Jones has pushed the idea of scrapping regional councils as part of the Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon saying he wants to explore the idea.

ECan chair Craig Pauling earlier criticised those comments as being unhelpful to the conversation that was already happening.

Then came the ECan workshop on the future local government structures in Canterbury, which Pauling said was in councillor calendars since June 13, “well before the media discourse relating to ‘scrapping regional government’.”

“We’ve been proactively having these discussions at Canterbury Regional Council and will continue to explore how different local government and regulatory models could be applied in a Canterbury context.”

The workshop was the next step in developing Ecan’s position “to inform discussions with its partners, local councils, and to share with the Government when the time comes”.

“We don’t want to wait for change to happen to us, we want to be in a strong position to help inform and guide the Government’s decision-making.”

Pauling said the workshop was an opportunity to discuss local government decision making, and to test some ideas with each other, but they didn’t land on a specific structure.

The Canterbury Mayoral Forum – a group of local mayors - is undertaking a similar exercise, but Pauling said it was not a case of doubling up.

“Each council has a right to consider their own future, and I suggest that they should.

“The scenarios discussed in our workshop align with ideas previously raised at the Mayoral Forum, so should be helpful in further discussions to come.”

Of note, Mid Canterbury councillor Ian Mackenzie didn’t attend the workshop and said he felt it was an inappropriate discussion for the council to be having.

“The reason why the discussion was inappropriate is that, when reviewing what is the best form of regional government, you need to ask some fairly forthright questions about why there is so much dissatisfaction with the current performance of this council,” Mackenzie said.

“Any debate about the perceived dysfunction of this council will be around leadership.

“This is a highly political discussion, and not one that should be facilitated by staff and conducted in front of staff, or even in public if council staff are implicated.”

Mackenzie felt the staff putting up various options was a way to try and steer the outcome.

“This felt like an attempt to screw the scrum and gag councillors going into the election process.”

Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon questioned the timing of the debate, “especially when councils across New Zealand are carrying the load on infrastructure, housing, and essential services, all while managing major reforms and ongoing funding pressures”.

‘‘I understand why conversations about the structure of local government arise, and if there’s a genuine need for change, then let’s have that discussion properly, with all the right partners around the table, including iwi, local councils, and our communities.

However, other Canterbury mayors supported Ecan.

Canterbury Mayoral Forum chairperson, Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen, supported Ecan holding conversations on the topic.

“There is wide consensus that local government reform is needed, as the current structure and funding model isn’t sustainable.

“These conversations are needed as we work to understand how significant changes will impact our communities and region.”

The Mayoral Forum has been having discussions since before the Future for Local Government review initiated by the previous government about how the sector can deliver for our communities.

“These conversations will continue, however, the Forum is not holding a workshop this side of the election, it will be something for the incoming Mayoral Forum to progress.”

Bowen said Pauling had shared the presentation and a link to the recorded workshop with Mayoral Forum members.

Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton had not listened to the workshop but said the current shape of local government, which was created in 1989, “no longer makes sense for today’s dynamic, mobile, and digital community”.

“Many councils are too big to be really ‘local’ and too small to achieve the efficiencies required for transport, water, and other essential services.

“Our council already partners and works with our neighbours on rubbish, recycling, and several other projects.”

He said it was great to see the regional council “thinking about options” and looked forward to discussions with the other Canterbury mayors.

“This is a conversation the community needs to be a part of. Those conversations and outcomes will take years to do well, so there’s no time like the present to get started."

Christchurch City Mayor Phil Mauger said he wasn’t aware the ECan workshop was happening until he was told by his staff, who saw the agenda.

Mauger has previously expressed support for the city council forming a unitary authority model, but said he is “going to wait and see what direction the government takes” before commenting further.

ECan’s representation review in 2024 sparked calls for a breakaway from the regional council, with the councils south of Christchurch coming under some form of unitary or southern regional council.

Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown had said at the time that the arguments for the drastic move had some merit, acknowledging in his view ECan was “Christchurch City centric”.

He was unavailable for comment on the workshop as he was on leave during the Ashbueton District Council recess.

By Jonathan Leask