Canterbury councils are set to receive a verdict on amalgamation proposals this week in a process that will likely continue under a change of Government.

Selwyn Mayor Lydia Gliddon expects to hear if her district's head start proposal, to become a stand-alone unitary council, has been accepted soon.

“We've put our best foot forward, and our community couldn't have been any clearer with us, and our job is to represent what our community wants.”

Labour spokesperson for local government Tangi Utikere says he supports local government reform, just not the way the current coalition is doing it.

“The current Government has damaged the relationship with local government.

“Christopher Luxon has irresponsibly rushed amalgamation of councils and gone back on deals.

“Ultimately the Government's nonsensical behaviour with local government will harm communities, and the Government's own reputation.”

Utikere criticised the proposed local government reforms but suggested they will continue in some form if Labour come into power.

“Local government reorganisation did need to happen – but not like this.”

He did not confirm what of the current local government reform programme Labour will keep or change.

“We'll assess progress and work with councils to make sure any reform settings are right.”

Selwyn was part of a joint Head Start submission, with Hurunui and Waimakariri amalgamating and Christchurch also becoming a standalone unitary.

Gliddon said the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport had come back to the four councils to clarify how regional functions would work.

“We pointed out that in our proposals, it determines that we need detailed design to do that.”

Gliddon also addressed the fact that the South Canterbury proposal, agreed by Timaru, Mackenzie, Waimate and Waitaki councils, incorporated the Ashburton District, which didn’t put in a proposal, and extended to the Rakaia River catchment, a large part of which sits in Selwyn.

“We're really firm on that needs to be included with Selwyn.”

South Canterbury’s proposal raised concerns around infrastructure that is important to Selwyn, particularly the irrigation network and water storage at Lake Coleridge, Gliddon said.

If the proposals are not accepted, the other Canterbury councils will join Ashburton in the backstop process.

Ashburton’s councillors were divided on a preferred proposal and instead sent a letter of intent outlining a willingness to take an active role in local government reform, either independently or in collaboration with other councils.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.