Five district councils in the central South Island are establishing a fund to investigate setting up their own regional council.
The Waitaki, Waimate, Mackenzie, Timaru and Ashburton councils have been investigating establishing a central South Island regional council, breaking away from Environment Canterbury (ECan), the Christchurch-based Canterbury Regional Council.
That follows a public meeting last year that called on the local authorities to investigate setting up a new region.
The five councils' chief executives have been discussing how to meet that request.
Now, they have identified the need for a feasibility study into a central South Island region using Auckland consultant Malcolm Morrison.
He will identify what the study should look at and how much it will cost. The cost would be proportionately funded by the five councils - Timaru has set aside $50,000, Waimate $20,000 and Mackenzie $6000.
Ashburton and Waitaki councils have not yet fixed their contributions.
Mackenzie chief executive Glen Innes said the cost factor would be one major issue to consider if a central South Island region was established, but other issues would also need to be explored in the study.
