Otago’s councils will pitch conflicting merger proposals to the government. With the deadline looming, Dunedin City Council opted to take a “damage-control” approach to amalgamation at Monday’s meeting, voting to develop two unitary authorities with Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC). QLDC approved an equivalent motion at its own meeting on Monday — a following press release said the proposed model would comprise an “inland” council of Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago while Clutha, Dunedin and potentially Waitaki would make up a “coastal” council. Queenstown Lakes joins Dunedin in council shake-up bid The decision put the two councils at odds with those of Clutha and Central Otago, which last week backed a proposal to merge with Queenstown Lakes and an option to include parts of southern Waitaki and rural Dunedin. Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker said the city should be bold in considering change, but not hasty in committing to a structure without knowing its impact on communities. “We should be on the front [foot], protect local voice while pursuing better services, work with our neighbours while standing up for Dunedin, and ensure any final decision is made with our communities, not for them.” City councillors voted 9-4 to approve her motion and develop two “catchment-based” councils, with shared regional council functions, noting the final structure remained subject to several factors, including further design, engagement and government decisions. Many councillors who voted in favour were critical of the speed and scale of the government’s reform but said the proposal gave Dunedin the best chance to determine its future. However, those opposed said the council was backing the wrong horse and indicated support for an Otago-wide unitary authority. Ms Barker said the Department of Internal Affairs indicated the government had capacity to advance about four proposals. Proposals require the support of either a majority of affected councils or of councils representing a majority of the affected area’s population. SUPPLIEDDunedin city councillor John Chambers. Photo: Supplied Cr John Chambers backed the motion but was wary of amalgamation as its touted benefits, such as economies of scale, failed to eventuate following health boards mergers several years ago. “I think this is a sort of damage-control-type strategy to amalgamate with that area just right next to us. “But remember the lessons of history and, if there’s some centralisation that happens in this process, that we don’t forget those rural areas and look after them as best we can.” Cr Andrew Simms, a proponent of an Otago-wide unitary authority, said the region had missed an opportunity for councils to benefit from their pooled strength and diversity. “Instead of vision, ambition and scale, we have a proposal which simply enlarges Queenstown, enlarges Dunedin, and then creates some kind of regional entity to undertake the current functions of the Otago Regional Council. “It is very little different to what we are already doing, so why bother?” [Missing Credit]Dunedin city councillor Andrew Simms. Photo: Supplied Cr Lee Vandervis took it a step further, saying he believed an Otago-Southland authority was inevitable and the government already recognised it as an integrated region. Cr Christine Garey said the motion bought the council time — “it plays the game, but it is not the end point”. “We all accept that amalgamation is going to happen one way or the other, but I believe we also understand that the timing is absolutely ridiculous … 10 weeks to do something that normally takes several years.” Ultimately, the details of amalgamation sat with the government, Cr Brent Weatherall said. “Several councils may eventually find themselves in arrangements quite different from those they currently favour and will probably have to rebuild some broken relationships along the way.” The vote: That the council agrees to work with Queenstown Lakes District Council to submit a Head Start proposal in support of two unitary authorities, comprising an inland and a coastal authority. For (9): Mayor Sophie Barker, Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Cherry Lucas, Mandy Mayhem, Mickey Treadwell, Steve Walker and Brent Weatherall. Against (4): Crs Jo Galer, Russell Lund, Andrew Simms and Lee Vandervis. Abstain (1): Cr Marie Laufiso. Absent (1): Cr Benedict Ong.
