A community survey was launched on Wednesday last week by the Waitaki District Council.
Under consideration was the district’s ‘‘unique position’’ in the South Island, being in both the Otago and Canterbury regions, the council said in a statement.
Councils have until August 9 to voluntarily come up with amalgamation plans or risk having the government draw up plans for them.
‘‘When the government announced this short timeframe to propose amalgamation or be amalgamated, I made it clear that there must be space for community voice,’’ Waitaki District Mayor Mel Tavendale said in the statement.
‘‘Since then, I’ve spoken with Otago mayors and our neighbours to the north to sound them out, but we cannot make a decision without hearing from you.
‘‘I can’t stress this enough: no decision has been made; no proposal has been agreed to.
‘‘This survey allows you to let us know what you think.’’
Mrs Tavendale recently held talks with fellow Otago mayors as chairwoman of the Otago Mayoral Forum and subsequently with Canterbury counterparts in Timaru this week.
The Waitaki survey runs until June 14.
The council said the survey would ask people how they felt about local government reform and the effect on the community, to pick priorities and to give further written feedback.
A separate survey has also been launched following a meeting of the Otago Mayoral Forum, asking people across Otago to share their views.
