However, Westland Mayor Helen Lash this week also tried to assure West Coast Regional Council staff their jobs would be secure during the coming upheaval.
Under the government proposal announced this week, Mrs Lash, along with Grey District Mayor Tania Gibson and new Buller Mayor Chris Russell, will replace all seven regional councillors, forming a territorial board that will then be required to come up with a council reorganisation plan for the West Coast, within two years.
"There are fears that the uncertainty of this process could lead to an exodus of staff to Australia and the important thing is they [staff] comprehend very quickly that their jobs are rock solid — we need them.”
It was possible some of the work done by regional staff, in compliance for instance, would in future move to other government or council-controlled entities, Mrs Lash said.
"It depends what comes in the resource management law reforms, but whatever happens that work still needs to be done and it’s critical to our future that we retain those people and their skill on the West Coast."
Westland in particular was reliant on experienced river engineers for its flood management and protection work, Mrs Lash said.
The mayor said she had spoken to regional council chairman Colin Smith about the need to reassure staff at an urgent meeting of mayors and chairs this week.
"We knew this was coming but it was still a shock when it was suddenly out there ... the other shock was the failure to spell out front and centre the role that mana whenua will have in these reforms.
"It was like an afterthought."
The government has said existing arrangements will continue for Māori engagement and participation, including appointments to council committees.
The West Coast Regional Council has two Poutini Ngai Tahu representatives who have voting rights on its environmental management committee.
But the reorganisation proposal also says mayors on the new boards will represent mana whenua in regions that have Māori wards — a move Mrs Lash said was insulting to iwi.
"I know it’s a general announcement, across the whole country, but I still feel it’s a slap in face for mana whenua and also for mayors, chairs and iwi and what we’ve built here on the West Coast, working collaboratively together."
Mrs Lash said the additional workload created for mayors by the creation of territorial boards would be enormous, and mayors would be relying heavily on the expertise of regional council staff to support them.
"The reading alone will take tens of hours — it’s critical that we keep the skill base here to keep things moving, while we drive the reforms, and it’s critical that we find the right fix for the West Coast."
She rebuffed West Coast regional councillor Allan Birchfield, who this week welcomed the plan to abolish regional councillor roles, saying the organisation was "bloated" with staff.
Santa had come early and he could not wait to be sacked, Mr Birchfield said.
"Birchy can say what he likes about the good old days but the reality is they didn’t have to do half of what we have to now, on councils," the Westland mayor said.
Government requirements were now so intense and diverse that councils had no choice but to take on staff to meet those demands, she said.
"It’s like civil defence — we never used to have a CD team, but we have to have one now.
"Things have changed and we can’t afford to drop the ball and have our future dictated to us.
"I want those regional staff to know they are highly valued, and their jobs are safe."
— Lois Williams, Local Democracy Reporter
— LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
