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North Canterbury’s councils will continue working together with their neighbours under any future local government arrangements.
The Hurunui and Waimakariri district councils have submitted a joint proposal to form a North Canterbury unitary council under the Government’s Head Start policy, ahead of Sunday’s deadline.
Waimakariri District Council chief executive Jeff Millward said the door remained open to the Kaikōura District Council, while Waimakariri was keen to continue working with its neighbours, Christchurch and Selwyn.
A covering letter was jointly signed by the Christchurch, Selwyn, Waimakariri and Hurunui councils stating the four council’s supported each others’ proposals.
Christchurch and Selwyn both voted to form stand-alone unitary councils.
‘‘We wait now to see if our proposal is accepted,’’ Mr Millward said.
‘‘The next stage will be a more detailed stage of how things are proposed to work, including what functions maybe shared services and detailing financials and projections.’’
The Government’s announcement in May stated proposals needed to be submitted by two or more councils.
Councils which did not submit a proposal, or had their proposal declined, would be left in the Backstop, where future governance arrangements could be imposed.
Cabinet is expected to make a decision in September on which proposals would proceed.
The North Canterbury proposal says a new council would represent a combined population of around 90,000, and would have the scale to take on regional council functions.
A mayor and 14 councillors, including nine from Waimakariri and five from Hurunui, would be elected.
It is proposed there would be seven wards and seven community boards, including four in Waimakariri and three in Hurunui.
Hurunui Mayor Marie Black said forming a new North Canterbury council is a once in a generation opportunity.
‘‘The challenge before us has been to strike the right balance. To create a new entity fit for our future, while protecting local voice.’’
Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon said the work did not stop, as the councils will need to work through the detailed design stage, once they have some Government direction.
In all, five proposals involving Canterbury councils were submitted ahead of Sunday’s deadline.
The proposals are for unitary councils, which will incorporate Canterbury Regional Council functions.
The Kaikōura District Council put in a joint proposal with Marlborough, while a South Canterbury proposal was submitted by Mackenzie, Timaru, Waimate and Waitaki.
The Ashburton District Council voted to go into the Backstop, after councillors were divided on the best merger deal.
But it has been included in option one of the South Canterbury proposal, as part of a five-council merger.
Under the Kaikōura-Marlborough joint proposal, a Kaikōura ward would be established with three councillors.
A combined Marlborough-Kaikōura council would have a population of around 54,000.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
