Ashburton still doesn’t have a preferred local government merger option, less than a month out before the Government's deadline for councils’ amalgamation proposals.

Councils have until August 9 to put forward what is called a Head Start amalgamation proposal or risk a government-imposed arrangement through its Backstop Process.

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

Mayor Liz McMillan said there was no strong mandate for one 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.

Those 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.”

The community uncertainty also comes after the Canterbury Mayoral Forum failed to settle on a preferred regional model at its meeting on Monday.

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

There was 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. The forum plans to meet again later this month, and they’ll need to move quickly to allow for a coordinated response to be developed to meet the deadline.

There remain 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 8000 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.”

By Jonathan Leask